A crane reborn

Monadelphous has recently kicked off refurbishment works on the Smelter 2 casting crane at Olympic Dam. The project includes structural access upgrades, replacing the runway collector rails, installing a new cross-travelling crab, and overhauling the crane’s electrical and control systems. 

Originally commissioned in 1997, the crane was built with a 15-tonne main hoist and a 5-tonne auxiliary hoist. After years of reliable service, a detailed assessment confirmed that most components, apart from the crab, still had plenty of life left and didn’t need replacing. 

As part of the upgrade, Monadelphous installed a new crab featuring a 10-tonne auxiliary hoist, doubling the lifting capacity and adding flexibility to day-to-day operations while extending the life of the asset. 

A new load monitoring and safety system was also introduced. Load cells on both hoists now feed into an integrated system that tracks total lifted weight and includes overload protection to ensure the crane stays within its original 15-tonne limit. 

Given the crane’s location above a busy work area, Monos’ worked within tight monthly outage windows from early this year through to mid-year. These short shutdowns helped minimise crane hire costs and kept production moving. During each window, the team delivered safe and efficient progress on the refurbishment. 

The first outage focused on replacing the crane’s collector rail, a task Monadelphous completed seamlessly. 

1 Eastern end (Start Point) 

2 Collector Rails Installed

3 Rope Access work as beam is inaccessible by an EWP

During the same window, electricians installed new overhead floodlights along the Level 4 access walkway, while the SMP crew removed the ageing northern access platform in preparation for its replacement, all while staying on schedule. 

This initial phase showed just how well the team could handle a complex scope. Three workgroups collaborated closely, including rope access specialists, while maintaining clear and positive communication with the maintenance and production teams on the ground. 

Over the following outages, the team replaced the west girder static line, catenary supports, crab, northern access platform, and installed a full suite of new electrical components for the upgraded crab. Thanks to solid planning, experienced trades, and strong coordination with the crane contractor, the work was completed safely and efficiently. A reflection of the team’s commitment to the Monos’ values of safety, achievement, loyalty, teamwork and integrity. 

1 Old northern access platform being removed and old catenary chain removed

2 Old Crab removed

3 Roof cladding removed to allow for the crane hook to pass through for the replacement of the crab

4 Team found removed on one of the beams on the rafters having potential to drop and seriously injure someone. Nut removed safely.

5 New crab installed

6 Catenary support brackets on the eastern girder installed for the new energy chain 

As the project progressed, our customer shared their appreciation for the team’s workmanship, safety standards, and overall performance: 

“I want to express my deep thanks and respect to you all, and everyone else involved from Monadelphous, for being part of this journey and enduring the many challenges we faced throughout. Not only were we able to adapt to the consistently changing nature of the environment and other external factors, but the level of resilience also coupled with your unwavering support was truly a warming experience.  

Highlighting some key points that we should all consider and be proud of, 

• Majority of the project was done either in an EWP or on ropes - Working at heights approx. 25m in the air for over 800hrs. 

• No one was hurt. 

• No significant events. 

• Maintained good work ethic and housekeeping throughout the project. 
• Production was able to continue their day-to-day (excl. scrap charge) without any major issues. 

A key takeaway for me, aside from the valuable lessons learnt, was that I was able to meet and bond with many of you… which to me is invaluable.  

While this is a huge milestone for the project, we still have some close-out work to complete, and I have no doubts we will smash this out of the park and close this project on a good note.”  

– Ahmad Said, BHP Project Manager. 

A final round of close-out works is scheduled for the upcoming steam outage, with the team set to return and wrap up the project on a strong note. 

 Casting crane nearing its completion