The Bloom Lake project is the first major iron ore project in eastern Canada since the 1970s. In 2018, Iron Ore Québec restarted the iron mine, located about 13 km north of Fermont, Québec. The mining company wanted to maximize profitability, so it upgraded its concentration plant and recovery circuit and commissioned the 3.5 km conveyor to reduce truck hauling.
BBA was involved from the outset of the restart project. The team was tasked with performing project control and procurement management as well as the detailed engineering to optimize the plant process. The team was also involved in operational readiness preparations by drafting commissioning methods and procedures.
This project presented many challenges because of its scope, tight deadlines and the many consultants involved, which made planning work and managing costs more complex.
BBA made many improvements that helped us optimize plant performance and significantly cut our operating costs. Thanks to BBA’s detailed block diagrams and procedures, our team found it easy to handle commissioning activities entirely on our own using the planned sequence. In the end, the mine restart came in on time and on budget!