Concrete Protection

Innovation

In 1999 Southern Aurora Contracting Director John Fraser-Easton, together with the Maintenance Manager of the Gunpowder Copper Refinery in NW Queensland, developed a concrete lining system that is now recognized throughout Australia and Asia as the most effective method of protecting concrete vessels (20m x 20m x 1.5m deep) where a combination of weak sulphuric acid and organic solvents settle out (settler tanks).

The existing lining system was HDPE anchored to the walls (1000 anchors per m²), with the floor non anchored. At the junction of the walls and floor failure of the welded joint occurred, allowing the acid to penetrate and leach the cement of the concrete. This method of constructing concrete settlers was used throughout Australia, and all had failed.

Tested Superior

Lining system laminate samples of our innovative new system were prepared and were placed as immersion sample (in the settler tanks) over a period of 3 months. After this period the samples together with a control sample were sent to University of South Queensland for testing. Results indicated the system as proposed would provide a long working life for the settler tanks.
This system was adopted by Western Mining at Olympic Dam for the 2000 expansion and later when the plant was rebuilt after the fire.

Our new system has now been tried and proven as a primary concrete protection system for immersion conditions where aggressive chemicals are used.

Other non immersion applications can be designed to suit the site conditions where only splash and spillage occur.