December 2013
CONSTRUCTION WORLD
24
Civil Engineering Contractors
A
1
Grootgeluk Medupi expansion project – ROM
and discard area civils project
T
he ROMandDiscards Area Civils Project is one of several projects
for the Grootegeluk Medupi Expansion Project currently being
executed by Exxaro Coal SA at their Grootegeluk Coal Mine in
Lephalale in the Limpopo Province.
The purpose of theGrootegelukMedupi Expansion Project (GMEP)
is to provide 14,6 million tons of coal per annumwhen in full produc-
tion fromthe newGMEP beneficiation plant to the newMedupi Power
Station which is currently under construction in Lephalale.
The project entailed the construction of a Run of Mine (ROM)
bunker, a Discard Bunker, a ROM tunnel, a Discard tunnel and several
interconnecting conveyors.
The ROM bunker will provide a buffer facility for Run of Mine coal
prior to it being conveyed through the newBeneficiation Plant which
also forms part of the GMEP project and is currently under construc-
tion. Similarly the Discard Bunker provides a buffer facility for discard
material from the Beneficiation Plant going back to the open cast pit.
The ROM tunnel will provide safe access for two ROM coal con-
veyors transporting coal directly from the open cast pit, under an
existing main haul road, to the ROM bunker. Similarly, the Discard
tunnel which sits adjacent to the ROM tunnel will provide safe access
for twodiscard conveyors takingwaste product fromthe beneficiation
plants via the Discard Bunker back to the open cast pit where it will
be used for backfilling of the pit via a mechanical spreader system
in a phased manner.
The complexity involved in the construction of the two coal bunkers
and two tunnels of this size andmagnitude requiring uniquemethods
of construction and systems – which required collaborative work be-
tween employer, consulting engineer and contractor –were effectively
employed to produce a final quality product that all can be proud of.
Project information
• Name of project: Grootgeluk Medupi expansion project
– ROM and discard area civils project
• Name of company entering: Stefanutti Stocks Civils
• Project start date: June 2010
• Project end date: December 2013
• Client: Exxaro Coal SA
• Main contractor: Stefanutti Stocks Civils
• Consulting engineer: Arup Consulting Engineers
• Quantity surveyor: PCC
• Project value: R750-million
