Replacing a decade old belt

The team at RTW has been hard at work tackling a significant conveyor belt replacement project in Boddington, the first since its installation 13 years ago.

Covering a stretch of 10.5 km from the primary crusher to the secondary crusher, the belt was ready for an upgrade.

With three distinct phases, work began in November 2024 with site preparations. The next phase, running from December 2024 to February 2025, involves flaking and splicing, leading up to the final push in April 2025—a critical nine-day outage where the existing belt will be removed and replaced.

A dedicated team of 20 people is working across day and night shifts to keep things moving.

Keeping the project on track has been a top priority, with safety, quality, schedule, and budget all under control.

"It's been great to see the plans coming to fruition," Clinton Garnie, Estimator and Project Manager, said.

As a first-of-its-kind project for the Business Unit, the team has embraced the challenge, enjoying the collaborative planning process with internal and external stakeholders.

One of the trickier aspects of the job has been aligning and setting up the necessary equipment, including winches, turnovers, and counterweights. Despite these technical challenges, the team has delivered strong results, demonstrating their expertise and problem-solving abilities.

With the mine expanding its activities, completing this belt replacement will increase throughput, making it a critical step in supporting future operations.

An animated construction methodology video was developed to ensure clear communication across teams and stakeholders.

"Having multi-disciplined contractors involved, we wanted to clarify the process," Clinton explained.

The video was well received, reinforcing the team's commitment to efficiency and innovation.

As the project moves into its final stages, the team remains focused on delivering another high-quality outcome.