13 February 2020
An image from the 1960s showing the original stockpile conveyor, with two large trestle structures, shiploader and gallery conveyor.
At Barquito, in Northern Chile, Sedgman is upgrading a 60-year-old copper concentrate port.
Site works began before Christmas, with demolition of two sixty-year-old conveyor trestles, each measuring over 18 metres high and 120 tonnes. The conveyor trestles joined the original stockpile conveyor, shiploader and gallery conveyor, all built in the 1960s. All the original components are to be removed as the first stage of the plant upgrade.
The trestles were dismantled first by using a diamond-dusted cutting line to cut the trestle into manageable 20-tonne pieces. These pieces were then lowered to ground level, where jack-hammers were used to reduce the structures to rubble for removal.
Chilean demolition specialists worked under Sedgman’s direction and were guided by Sedgman’s strong emphasis on safety.
The Chile team are well placed to manage this demolition, having received an excellent score card in the annual Chilean government safety audit for their three years recordable injury free. Well done to the team in Santiago!
