September 08, 2008
Ascot awards contract for ship loader for Swamp mine
Ascot Resources Ltd announced the signing of contracts for the construction of the full scale ship loading facility for its 100% owned Swamp Point Aggregate Mine. Completion of the ship loading facility will allow full scale aggregate production, including the loading of vessels up to Panamax size. Ascot expects to be in a position to begin deliveries to export and local markets in the Q1 of 2009.
Ascot Resources said that “Fabrication and delivery of two ship loaders was awarded to Telestack International Limited of Northern Ireland, UK. Broadwater Industries Ltd of Prince Rupert has been chosen to be general contractor for the construction of the marine facilities including steel substructures and the erection of the Telestack loaders. Subcontractors Fraser River Pile & Dredge Ltd. and Pacific Blasting Ltd both of Vancouver, BC, have been retained for construction related to pile installation and earthworks. Structural design engineering and construction supervision is being provided by Sandwell Engineering Inc of Vancouver.”
Two independent 2,000 tonne per hour Low Tail Telestack shiploaders are designed to provide an average loading rate of 4,000 tonnes per hour and individually can be driven for short periods up to 2,500 tonnes per hour if a higher productivity is required. The two units, which allow for 100% operating redundancy, will be mounted on a dual elevated rail system providing full longitudinal travel along the hatch length of the ship thus eliminating any need to move the vessel during loading.
The entire ship loading facility has been designed to be a cost-effective and low environmental impact alternative to traditional ship loading designs. It is anticipated that the ship-loaders will be delivered to the Port of Prince Rupert by year end where they will be assembled and delivered to the Swamp Point site for commissioning in the first quarter of 2009.
The Mine, located on tidewater in northwestern British Columbia is being developed to provide high quality aggregates to California and other Pacific coastal markets. A camp, access roads and sediment control structures were built in 2007.
