Cornerstone Flotation

Cornerstone Flotation

The Kennecott Utah Copper Mine, located in Bingham, Utah, is one of the largest open copper mines in the world. Brahma’s first job at the mine was in 2002, and 12 years later, we continue to provide capital construction and maintenance to the mine year round.

Kennecott called on Brahma to complete the entire mechanical scope of work for the Cornerstone Flotation project when an unnamed contractor was unable to execute the project in accordance to Kennecott’s standards. The unnamed contractor was performing at a productivity rate of .3, and Brahma was able to perform above a productivity rate of 1, allowing us to take over the project and complete construction on time for Kennecott.

Brahma showed its agility and adaptability in service. We dismantled another contractors poorly executed construction and rebuilt the mechanical work to construct a successful project. We took apart incorrectly set equipment and repositioned it; we fixed elevation busts; we repositioned rougher cells that were not on coordinates; and we pulled and reset pumps. We also cut apart, reinstalled and welded approximately 10,000 feet of 1/2” to 42” piping, modifying the existing piping to tie-in to the existing pipe process systems.

The cornerstone project showed Brahma’s ability to take charge in constructing project in a very agile way. Not only did we provide agility in service, but we worked with our customers to deliver a successful project within their deadline for completion.

Project Information

Client:
Rio Tinto - Kennecott Copper Mine
Location:
Bingham, Utah

Related Case Studies

Coal Handling And Crushing EPC

City Utilities of Springfield (CU) is a community-owned utility serving southwest Missouri with electricity, natural gas, water, telecommunications and transit services. Brahma completed an EPC project for City Utilities of Springfield, Missouri providing engineering, procurement and construction services for the utility. We designed, fabricated, delivered and installed a coal-handling and...

EF2 Furnace Rebuild

Brahma Installed a new furnace in an existing smelter facility in Columbus, MT for Stillwater Mining. Our installation included new modifications to a material feed system and controls. Brahma’s biggest challenge on the project was installing the new furnace inside an existing building without the use of an overhead crane....

SX Demolition Project

The SX Demolition project involved demolition and abatement of large pieces of equipment on the 6th floor of the Smelter Building. Including a 88’ long 16’ diameter dryer, large bag house, lead filled Star Coolers from the Acid Plant, dryer furnace, pelletizer, multiple conveyors systems,  cyclone dryer, feed bins and...

Solana Power Generation Station

The Solana Power Plant located in Gila Bend, Arizona was the largest parabolic trough plant in the world when commissioned, and one of the first US solar plants with molten salt thermal energy storage capabilities. The plant is a 280MW utility-scale solar thermal electric plant built on a 1,920 acre...

Jeff Shockley

VP of Operations

Meet Jeff, an accomplished construction industry veteran and visionary leader with a robust 20-year trajectory of ascending from hands-on trade work to executive management. His leadership has been instrumental in steering multidisciplinary teams to success in diverse sectors such as Oil and Gas, Refining, Mining, Transportation, and Energy Transmission. Jeff’s mastery in Civil and Mechanical construction has been pivotal in the successful delivery of capital projects exceeding $1 billion in value. Jeff has essential experience in project controls and focuses on real-time tracking to provide the desired outcome to both the company and the client. His experience on both the Owner’s side as well as the contractor’s side has given him invaluable knowledge of management and the execution cycle.

Craig Rucker

VP of Operations

Meet Craig, a seasoned leader with over 26 years of management experience and technical expertise. His areas of specialization encompass a wide range of industry sectors, including project management, industrial facilities maintenance, plant maintenance, building and equipment structures, and construction management consultation.

Craig is certified in heavy rigging, with extensive experience in equipment removal and installation. His expertise extends to structural detailing, fabrication, erection, and installation. He also excels in conveyor system installation and maintenance, infrastructure improvements, capital project construction, bidding, estimating, and process piping and demolition.

Before joining Brahma, Craig honed his skills at Bell Steel, Inc. and Milling Machinery, Inc. His construction career, which began in the residential industry, eventually led him to industrial maintenance where he performed all aspects of millwright work. Craig’s commitment to continuous learning is evident in his completion of the ASU Alliance for Construction Excellence Project Management Course. He holds an OSHA 510 certification, a certification of completion in the Program of Project Management, and is trained in Auto CAD and Structural Steel detailing. With his vast experience and multitude of certifications, Craig brings a unique blend of leadership, technical acumen, and industry knowledge to his role.

Darren Patten

CEO

Meet Darren, a seasoned professional with an impressive track record spanning over 35 years in project management, engineering, and industrial facility management. His career is marked by proactive leadership in steering complex projects across various industries. His strategic approach to staffing, maintenance, and operations has consistently ensured optimal performance and cost-effectiveness.

Darren’s journey has taken him through notable companies such as NV Energy at the Reid Gardner Station, PacifiCorp- Huntington Plant, Abitibi Consolidated, and Geneva Steel Company. Each role has contributed to his rich tapestry of industry experience and technical expertise.

Known for his exceptional contract administration skills, Darren excels in resource management, delivering quality products at reasonable costs. His foresight allows him to identify potential problem areas early on and implement viable, cost-effective solutions. His commitment to meeting budgets and promoting safe, productive work environments is unwavering.

Darren holds a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering, which forms the foundation of his technical acumen. Leveraging his top-tier education and extensive experience, Darren ensures that project teams adhere strictly to contract specifications. He vigilantly monitors contract performance, ensuring safe work practices, regulatory compliance, and adherence to budget and schedule constraints. Under Darren’s watchful eye, every project has been a testament to efficiency and quality, completed on time and within budget, with post-outage equipment performance exceeding expectations and installations meeting established technical standards.