Newmont Gold Mine

E & I Installation for Refrigeration and BAC Plants

In May 2022, Universal Project Group director Geoff Williams commenced work with GBI on this project while he was still a member of his former company Vic Tech. We successfully tendered the Electrical and Instrumentation scope for the Newmont Gold Mine project in the Northern Territory, approximately 650km northwest of Alice Springs. The project focused on the installation of electrical and instrumentation systems for the Refrigeration and BAC Plants, providing cooled fresh air to a newly constructed 1.6km-deep shaft.

This remote location—one of the most isolated mine sites in Australia—presented unique logistical challenges, with the majority of materials transported via the Tanami Track, a weather-affected dirt road.

Refrigeration Plant Works Included:
• Installation of cable ladder systems
• Laying of 22kV cables from transformers and 6.6kV cables to VSD drives, compressors, and pumps
• All 415V power and MCC connections
• VSD drives, LCS control, and full motor wiring
• Complete earthing grid installation and equipotential bonding
• Installation of instrument trunk cables, control panels, field instruments, and terminations at field and PLC
• Fibre optic cable installation and termination

BAC Plant Works Included:
• Cable ladder system installation
• 22kV cable installation from transformer to LV switch room
• 415V cabling to motors and drives
• Earth stake installation and equipotential bonding
• Instrumentation setup including field I/O panels, PLC connections, device mounting, and terminations

All works were completed with comprehensive quality assurance, following ITR/ITP protocols and achieving Practical Completion with full FIC documentation. Our Geelong-based crews worked to a demanding 14/7 roster in extreme conditions, often exceeding 40°C, and delivered outstanding results under pressure.