Client:        Goro Nickel SAS
Location:    Goro, New Caledonia
Contract:    Construct Only
Currency:    November 2006

Project Summary

The Goro Nickel Project involved the construction of a nickel processing facility, a power plant, a dam, wharves, and a conveyor system. It is one of the largest industrial mining projects in the world. MacDow's scope of work included construction of a new 180 m general cargo berth, a new 270 m bulk berth, three new dolphins, general port area earthworks, and earthworks for the conveyor system.

The Challenge

The main challenge was undertaking piling operations under tight program requirements and in difficult ground conditions adjacent to a World Heritage UNESCO reef / lagoon.

The Solution

To minimise the high level of risk associated with the piling operations, a jack-up barge was used to support the drilling operations. The jack-up barge provided considerable advantages over floating vessels which are susceptible to pitch / roll, heave and lateral movement in heavy wave conditions. The piles were driven through hydraulically adjustable piling gates, purpose-built to support both vertical and raking piles during the pitching, driving and drilling construction sequence.

Key to Success

We progressed the piling operations within the required programme, despite unforeseen ground conditions which resulted in deeper than expected founding levels for the driven/drilled piles. The selected drilling / piling methodology worked extremely well for the ground conditions encountered and provided the opportunity for cost savings for the client and project partners.

Project Stats

• 6ha of clear and grub works
• 140,000m3 of cut/fill
• 70,000m3 of rock core fill
• 102 vertical piles
• 24 raking piles
• 200 staff at peak
• 70,000m3 sub-base and base-course
• 4,650 tonnes of precast concrete
• 1 NZCF Contractor of the Year Award 2007