EPCM. Construction of the gold heap leaching site

Construction of heap leaching site at goldmine “X”. The engineering works are at the stage “P” of the design (about 30% completion), lack of documents for stage “RD” (detailed design), tight construction schedule.

• Mistakes in design solutions, discrepancies between sections of the design documents;
• Construction started before completion of design estimates;
• Insufficiently reliable contractor;
• Impossible to forecast schedule and costs;
• Lack of transparency in procurement: procurement standards and procedures, responsibility matrix, procurement plans etc.;
• Lack of standardized project management procedures;
• Discordant plans on different sections of the project;
• Project progress analyzed intuitively;
• Project data collected, consolidated and stored spontaneously;
• Diffusion of responsibility between employees.

Implementation of corporate project management system and personnel training:

• Implemented project planning and management tools, developed project management regulations;
• Developed consolidated project plan: estimated actual project schedule and budget;
• Increased employees’ competences.

Design monitoring:

• Corrected mistakes in design documents;
• Recommended alternative design solutions and equipment to reduce costs;
• Initiated replacement of design company due to its incompetence;
• Selected qualified design company to complete the design documents.

Procurement monitoring:

• Developed corporate procurement standards;
• Generated detailed procurement plan with comprehensive list of required materials, equipment and services;
• Monitored procurement plan, proactively identified supply risks;
• Selected suppliers of materials, services and equipment (market analysis, determination of low price limits, substantiated reduction of quotations);
• Accelerated procurement process through use of our own procurement personnel.

Construction monitoring:

• Monitored project execution plan and provided weekly progress reporting;
• Initiated replacement of general contractor;
• Tendered a new general contractor;
• Managed risks, in case of risk occurrence optimized schedule keeping to initial budget;
• Checked the contractor’s scope of works, submitted costs against arrangements, corrected advance payments;
• ANTAL GROUP specialist admitted the construction site to control the construction schedule; provide contractors with required design documents and technical solutions, check quantities of completed works according to completion statements, control measurements; participate in works acceptance; control use of construction materials; control construction works quality.

The facility has been constructed in short timeline with minimum downtimes:

• The project completed 2 times ahead of initial time of construction;
• 8% saving of assigned budget.

Such savings were due to strict control of project works by ANTAL specialists as well as due to implementation of innovative solutions during construction.