RE: Shafts6 Oct 2018 10:23
Construction progress 27/09/2018
Construction remains on track to meet 2018 guidance.
At the Woodsmith Mine site, diaphragm walling activities on the service shaft are complete and the excavation of the service shaft foreshaft is now underway and is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2018. Three diaphragm walling rigs are in operation on the production shaft and activities are progressing smoothly. Excavation of the production shaft foreshaft is expected to commence in the fourth quarter of 2018. The Vertical Sinking Machine ("VSM"), which will be used to sink the mineral transport system ("MTS") access shaft to 120 meters, has arrived at site and is preparing to be launched.
The MTS portal construction at Wilton, which will facilitate the launch of the MTS drive 1 tunnel boring machine ("TBM"), remains on track for completion in 2018 ahead of the TBM delivery at site in early 2019. The initial ~125m of MTS Drive 1 will be a shotcrete lined ("SCL") tunnel development section and will be constructed using civil engineering excavation techniques. The SCL section will advance the tunnel to a depth where the geology is appropriate to launch the TBM. Design work for the MHF earthworks is complete, and earthworks are scheduled to commence in the coming weeks.
At Lockwood Beck, construction of the MTS intermediate access shaft is progressing well, with surface and basement works ongoing to prepare for the sinking of a slightly larger diameter shaft that facilitates the launch and operation of the drive 2 TBM.