History of Koolan Island
Images Sourced from the collections of the State Library of Western Australia and reproduced with the permission of the Library Board of Western Australia.
Koolan Island Helicopter Meshing Campaign
1907 - small-scale mining operations mark the first mining on Koolan Island.
1938 – Commonwealth Emberago halts operations.
1945 – Mining Operations Re-allowed
1950 - BHP Acquires Mining Operations
Project Summary
The meshing campaign is a critical process in the stabilisation of rock faces. The mesh prevents rock falls and provides a surface for anchor points for ropes and harnesses.
Through working on previous meshing works, our engineers and technicians identified that using helicopters in meshing scopes was the most efficient way to get multiple rolls on walls in a short period compared to using cranes. However, using helicopters requires a lot of preparation and planning before they can be deployed by site personnel. The practice of helicopter meshing is a complex process that involves much effort, time and resources. The first step is to plan the flight path and determine where the pilot will place each roll on the face. This needs to be done by an experienced pilot who will then have to communicate with the ground crew during flight operations.
Another aspect of using helicopters is that our technicians can use them in places that would be too dangerous for a crane to operate. The aircraft can fly low over the ground and place the mesh rolls exactly where they need to go, while cranes have to travel along roads or paths, which can be difficult in remote areas.
Each roll of mesh comes in at 4 metres and 300 kilograms daily; that is 224 metres of mesh at 16,800 kilograms.
The helicopter’s down draft also has the added benefit of dusting the rock face in preparation for meshing.
The meshing campaigns are done closely with our rope access teams as more prominent rock faces require technicians able to scale heights.
Execution
Having to re-work our procedures from the ground up, the campaign went as smoothly as possible. Having to factor in the different procedures and regulations for use of helicopters at the site was a very specific challenge that our team out at Koolan were able to overcome.
The Campaign was carried out across all sections of the main pit, using rope access and areas worked on foot where no vehicles or cranes could access to place TECCO mesh.
The two main campaigns were carried out in a relatively short period of time – Helicopter Campaign 12 and Helicopter Campaign 13.
- HEC 12 saw 106 rolls of TECCO mesh installed in 3 days using 22 sets of rope on the wall.
- HEC 13 contained 110 rolls of TECCO mesh and was also completed within 3 days.
Conclusion
Overall the campaign was carried out with 0 injuries or major incidents and is another major feather in the cap of Vertech and our continued journey of innovation.
The Vertech team would like to thank our clients, business partners, and employees for their continued support, and look forward to working with them on future projects.
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Two IRATA Rope Acess Technicians grabbing a roll of TECCO Mesh being lowered by a hovering helicopter.
A helicopter sillhouetted against a sporadically cloudy sky, lowering a roll of TECCO Mesh via rope.