Mechanical Engineering Consultants

Mechanical engineering is the use of energy to create motion while considering environmental influences, material properties and dynamic effects on and between bodies that are in motion. An in-depth understanding of how things move, behave or interact is required so that these properties can be accommodated within any good mechanical engineering design.

Mechanical engineering requires an understanding of core concepts including mechanics, motion, thermodynamics, materials science, structures and energy. Using this broad knowledge base, our mechanical engineers are able to analyze the properties and constraints and pull together the different elements required to create solutions and designs that suit operational requirements or resolve problems for our clients.

Orana Engineering has the capabilities and resources to provide mechanical engineering services including:

  • Pumping systems (water or slurry) modelling and design – from simple single pump applications through to complex mine dewatering networks;
  • Pressure piping design;
  • Mechanical standards development;
  • Mechanical systems and structure design;
  • Machine guarding audits and design;
  • Reagent distribution system design;
  • Conveyor audits;
  • Conveyor configuration and design; and
  • Materials handling solutions.

We provide specialist mechanical engineering services to coal, metalliferous, oil and gas clients as well as industrial and commercial clients. Explore the case studies below for more information on mechanical engineering services by Orana Engineering.

Orana Engineering Mechanical Engineering

UG Conveyor Installations - MG Mechanical Installation

Detailing the installation of mechanical equipment and conveyor structure is one of the final steps for completing a maingate drive-head design. Installations designed by Orana Engineering (MG32, MG33, MG33C, MG34, MG35 and MG36) for Glencore’s Oaky No.1 underground coal mine typically detail the arrangement of drives, transfer stations, take-up units, maintenance equipment and overhead structure to support the carry belt.

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UG Conveyor Installations - MG Mechanical Installation

QGC AIWT Design Review

Hutchinson Builders Toowoomba was contracted to deliver portions of the Water Aquifer Injection Trial at QGC’s Woleebee Creek site. Prior to commencing construction, Hutchinson Builders engaged Orana Engineering to perform a design review of all technical documentation associated with the Pond Transfer Pump Station, limited to the engineering discipline of mechanical.

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QGC AIWT Design Review

10M TAGS Sled

At James Cook University, MBD Energy operates a research facility investigating methods of cultivating and harvesting algae. To allow the scientists to better control the algae agitation sleds, MBD Energy engaged the services of Orana Engineering to design and commission the mechanical, electrical and control systems that would enable the agitation sled velocity and frequency of travel to be automated.

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10M TAGS Sled

CHPP Conveyor Capacity Audit

Vale Carborough Downs Coal Mine (CDCM) required details of the current and possible future capacities of their Module 1 and 2 product conveyors at their coal processing plant in Central Queensland.  As a result, Orana Engineering was engaged by the CDCM site engineering and maintenance team to perform the necessary site visits, calculations and reporting.  The study consisted of 8 plant conveyors and outlined high level recommendations of modifications required for the plant to achieve higher tonnages.

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CHPP Conveyor Capacity Audit

Conveyor Upgrade Project

Carborough Downs Coal underground mine located in Central Queensland, transitioned from a bord and pillar mining system to longwall mining and as a result required to upgrade the capacity of their coal clearance conveyor system. Orana Engineering was engaged to provide Client's Engineering assistance to deliver the final underground conveyor equipment to meet the longwall production schedule.

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Conveyor Upgrade Project

Crane Lifting Beam

The mother beam of the 40T ship loading crane at the Port of Townsville had been in service for over 30 years and was nearing the end of its service life. With regulatory compliance changes and much improved safety practices in the past 30 years, Xstrata Copper (now Glencore) engaged Orana Engineering to redesign the mother beam based on the existing beam and incorporating required changes to meet the current compliance requirements. This was also an opportunity to improve the current design by incorporating feedback from the crane operators and maintenance personnel.

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Crane Lifting Beam

Crusher Circuit Upgrade

Eloise Copper Mine had purchased a new Metso TS4.2 dual deck vibrating screen to replace the existing smaller screen and a second Omnicone cone crusher to provide a secondary crushing circuit to increase their production and improve operational efficiencies.

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Crusher Circuit Upgrade

Cyanide Tank Upgrade

In recent years Orana Engineering has enjoyed a productive relationship with Resolute Mining Ltd through its subsidiary Carpentaria Gold by undertaking several projects at their Ravenswood site. Sodium cyanide is a very toxic compound used on site to recover gold from prepared ore. It is potentially lethal to humans and animals and can be extremely detrimental to the environment.

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Cyanide Tank Upgrade

F100 Reagent Modifications

Orana Engineering was engaged by MMG’s Century Mine in Western Queensland to perform an engineering review of a proposed reagent dosing system within the concentrator.

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F100 Reagent Modifications

Fire System Audit

BMA Gregory Crinum requested Orana Engineering to perform an audit and inspection of the Crinum underground mine surface fire water system with respect to providing adequate pressure and flow for the Crinum North conveyor system, and in particular the stockpile conveyor.

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Fire System Audit

Flotation Cell Upgrade

In an effort to increase the efficiency of their concentrator, FMR Investment's Eloise Copper Mine enlisted the services of Orana Engineering to provide engineering and design assistance for the installation of 3 new copper concentrate scavenger cells, within the existing processing plant.

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Flotation Cell Upgrade

Gold Slurry Sampler

Orana Engineering was engaged to design a new sampling equipment installation to improve sampling effectiveness at Carpentaria Gold’s Ravenswood operations.

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Gold Slurry Sampler

Heavy Vehicle Washdown Facility

MMG’s Karumba Port Facility engaged Orana Engineering to design a heavy vehicle washdown facility to assist with management of concentrate for vehicles and machines used onsite. The project time frame was very short due to operational requirements, whereby Orana Engineering had to work from concept to IFC drawings within 7 days. Orana Engineering’s quality assurance system allowed the design to be completed quickly whilst ensuring a high level of quality for our client.

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Heavy Vehicle Washdown Facility

Inner Bypass Valves

Orana Engineering was engaged by MMG’s Century Mine in Western Queensland to investigate and design an upgrade within the concentrator to increase flow from a flotation cell to a tailings trough.

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Inner Bypass Valves

MG07 Conveyor – Chamber Design

Carborough Downs Coal Mine is an underground operation located in Central Queensland that utilises conveyors to transport mined coal to the surface for processing. As operations progress and new longwall headings are mined, new conveyor installations are also required. Designing a conveyor installation involves 3 major stages: the drive-head chamber design, the civil design, and the mechanical arrangement design.

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MG07 Conveyor – Chamber Design

MG07 Conveyor – Civil Design

Carborough Downs Coal Mine is an underground operation located in Central Queensland that utilises conveyors to transport mined coal to the surface for processing. As operations progress and new longwall headings are mined, new conveyor installations are also required. Designing a conveyor installation involves 3 major stages: the drive-head chamber design, the civil design, and the mechanical arrangement design.

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MG07 Conveyor – Civil Design

MG07 Conveyor – Development Conveyor

Carborough Downs Coal Mine is an underground operation located in Central Queensland that utilises conveyors to transport mined coal to the surface for processing. As operations progress and new longwall headings are mined, new conveyor installations are also required. Designing a conveyor installation involves 3 major stages: the drive-head chamber design, the civil design, and the mechanical arrangement design.

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MG07 Conveyor – Development Conveyor

MG08 Development Conveyor

Carborough Downs Coal Mine is an underground operation located in Central Queensland that utilises conveyors to transport mined coal to the surface for processing. As operations progress and new longwall headings are mined, new conveyor installations are also required. Orana Engineering was engaged by Carborough Downs to design a new longwall drive-head chamber and conveyor installation.

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MG08 Development Conveyor

MIA Services Audit

Orana Engineering was requested by the BMA Projects Department to assist in completing an audit of air, water and wastewater services at BMA Blackwater Mine in Central Queensland. The work was required in order to determine if the addition of new go-line infrastructure would adversely impact the existing mine industrial area services, and if additional infrastructure or infrastructure upgrades were required.

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MIA Services Audit

MIBC & Diesel Upgrade

The purpose of the Reagent System Upgrade project at Glencore's Oaky Creek Coal Mine was to install new reagent storage tanks, discharge / delivery pumping system and automated flow control distribution manifolds for the delivery of each reagent to the nominated process connections. In the event of failure of the automated flow control system, rotameters for manual reagent addition were included as a contingency.

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MIBC & Diesel Upgrade

Mill Gear Box Frame

The IMT project team at MMG’s Century Zinc operations enlisted the assistance of Orana Engineering to produce a set of fabrication drawings for an existing gear box frame which required replacing. Although the frame itself had been in operation for quite some time, there were no detailed drawings available that could be used for the construction of a replacement unit.

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Mill Gear Box Frame

Onsite Accommodation Camp Services

Orana Engineering was engaged by Glencore's Oaky Creek Coal Mine in Central Queensland to assist with the design and construction of an onsite accommodation camp on the mine lease, including primarily the HV substation for power supply and potable water storage and supply.

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Onsite Accommodation Camp Services

SAG Mill Cover

BHP Billiton Cannington Mine, located in North West Queensland is a significant miner and exporter of silver and lead concentrate via the Port of Townsville.   Orana Engineering was engaged by Cannington site maintenance to provide workshop fabrication drawings for a replacement cover to address the issue of corrosion that was present around flanges and access openings on the existing SAG mill trommel sump cover.

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SAG Mill Cover

Tailings Pumping System - As-Built

At the completion of the Tailings Pumping Upgrade for both the Main CHPP and Module 4 CHPP at Glencore's Oaky Creek Coal Mine, Orana Engineering received As Built mark-up drawings and documentation from the site project manager and was requested to make electronic revisions to the drawings and upload them into the site drawing management system.

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Tailings Pumping System - As-Built

TC04 Trunk Conveyor Extensions

Carborough Downs Coal Mine is an underground operation located in Central Queensland that utilises conveyors to transport mined raw material to the surface for processing. As operations progress and new maingate headings are mined, trunk conveyor extensions are required.

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TC04 Trunk Conveyor Extensions

Tippler Refurbishment Feasibility

The Glencore Port Operations in Townsville operate an export facility for minerals concentrate and refined copper within the Port of Townsville precinct. The concentrate in-loading rotaside tippler has been identified as being at end of life and a feasibility study was commissioned in order to review the like-for-like replacement option for refurbishment of the tippler, considering the increased demand on the tippler moving forward.

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Tippler Refurbishment Feasibility

TK102 Bypass Piping

When tasked with a major repair to one of their leaching tanks, operations staff at Carpentaria Gold’s Ravenswood Operations enlisted the assistance of Orana Engineering to develop a solution that would allow for process operations to continue whilst leaching tank TK102 was out of service.

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TK102 Bypass Piping

Treated Water Boost Pumps

Glencore's Oaky Creek Coal (OCC) operation uses recycled water treated within an onsite RO plant to provide treated water for use by various operations on site. OCC recognised an opportunity to use this clean treated water for water supply to critical equipment such as Horizontal Belt Filters (HBF), improving the quality of water used for equipment, reducing downtime and maintenance requirements associated with poor quality water, in-turn improving the efficiency of the operation of the equipment.

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Treated Water Boost Pumps

UG Conveyor Installations – MG32 Tripper Chamber

Maingate roadways mined to accommodate longwall conveyors at Glencore’s Oaky No. 1 underground coal mine can vary from a few hundred meters to over 4 kilometres in length. Transporting vast quantities of coal over long distances requires a significant amount of power. In some cases the drive-head power is insufficient or is constrained by the allowable belt tension and an additional drive / power source is required to meet the required operating capacity. Commonly this additional power will come in the form of a driven conveyor tripper installed at a nominal point along the conveyor, which requires the appropriate excavation for the tripper installation inclusive of drives, tripper frame, braking and belt starter.

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UG Conveyor Installations – MG32 Tripper Chamber

UG Conveyor Installations – MG32 Tripper Civil Design

The site engineers at Glencore’s Oaky No. 1 underground coal mine have engaged Orana Engineering to determine the extent of the civil work required to install the maingate tripper equipment in MG32 longwall conveyor.

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UG Conveyor Installations – MG32 Tripper Civil Design

UG Conveyor Installations – MG32 Tripper Mechanical Design

In high capacity longwall conveyor arrangements, the installation of a tripper will typical occur after the chamber has been fully developed. The installation designed by Orana Engineering for MG32 conveyor for Glencore’s Oaky No.1 underground coal mine detailed the arrangement of the tripper drives, brakes, pulley frame and load station.

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UG Conveyor Installations – MG32 Tripper Mechanical Design

UG Conveyor Installations - MG Chamber Design

Mining and transporting millions of tonnes of raw material every year requires significant infrastructure and planning for future works. The site engineers at Glencore’s Oaky No. 1 underground coal mine have engaged Orana Engineering on multiple occasions (MG33C and MG34) to design new conveyor drivehead excavations (chambers) to install conveyor drivehead equipment for development and longwall coal mining.

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UG Conveyor Installations - MG Chamber Design

UG Conveyor Installations - MG Civil Installation

The site engineers at Glencore’s Oaky No. 1 underground coal mine have requested the assistance of Orana Engineering to determine the extent of the civil work required to effectively utilise the drive-head equipment in newly mined chambers for conveyor installations for MG32, 33, 33C, 34, 35 and 36.

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UG Conveyor Installations - MG Civil Installation

Underground Workshop Concept Design

Due to expanding operations, Glencore's Oaky North underground operations considered that there could be benefit to having an underground workshop including refuelling stations to reduce vehicle travel times and increase efficiencies of vehicle movements. Orana Engineering was engaged to provide concept design and estimating assistance for internal project approvals.

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Underground Workshop Concept Design

Wall Kit Drafting

BHP Billiton Cannington Mine is a significant underground Silver and Lead mining operation located in Western Queensland. Following completion of the ore extraction from each stope, paste backfill is used to fill the open void, which stabilises the area and allows for mining of adjacent stopes. This is achieved by constructing a fill wall across roadways, which provides a stable wall for areas that are being back filled, eliminates intrusion from back filled areas, and allows the back filling to achieve a higher density.

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Wall Kit Drafting