Mount Isa Mines is preparing for the delivery of almost 60,000 refractory bricks as part of the planned multimillion-dollar rebrick of the copper smelter in May.
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The total shipment of 57,180 bricks weighing 974 tonnes is scheduled to depart Europe soon and arrive in Australia in March.
Specially manufactured in Austria, the refractory bricks include 16,530 for the ISASMELT furnace, 24,600 for a rotary holding furnace and 16,050 for an anode furnace in the smelter. .
They will replace the existing bricks inside the furnaces which wear over time because of the hot temperatures of up to 1,200 degrees Celsius.
The smelter needs $30+m rebricking maintenance every four years and was last rebricked in March 2018 leading to a four week total shutdown of the plant normally humming 24 x 7.
The next rebrick is scheduled to run for five weeks from the middle of May.
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Planning for the large-scale project began in earnest in January last year, with ordering of long lead items, developing the rebrick team and refining the plan of works.
The smelter workforce will more than double to about 580 personnel to complete the project.
Copper Smelter Rebrick Superintendent, Jaap Verhoek, says plans are in progress to bring in an additional 350 contractors to assist the existing workforce.
"This is a huge task, in ensuring we bring in the right people with the critical skills and knowledge, and that they are also correctly onboarded," Mr Verhoek said.
Mr Verhoek, who was involved in the 2010 re-bricking, said contractors would include specialist refractory brick layers who will perform their work under strict quality supervision from engineers and supervisors.
"There'll be about 80 brick layers and another 270 personnel in maintenance type roles such riggers, fitters, boilermakers, electricians, spotters and crane operators," he said.
Repairs are also planned for the candy-striped copper smelter stack constructed in 1959, including its big centrifugal fan.
"The copper smelter provides significant employment in the region, both directly and indirectly. The product from the smelter also feeds Glencore's Copper Refinery in Townsville which also employs more than 200 people," Mr Verhoek said.
"The team established for the rebrick consists of people who either have been involved in these before or have significant experience in shutdown or project works. Without them and the collaboration of the extended Copper Smelter team, we would not be as well prepared as we are."
Glencore received funding assistance from the Queensland Government in 2020 to help continue the operation of the smelter.
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Derek Barry
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
Editor of the North West Star Mount Isa since January 2016. Prior to that, an editor at several regional southern Queensland newspapers. Passionate about telling local stories. Comes with a strange accent to due an Irish accident of birth.
