Blue Creek Mine River Barge Loadout Facility

 

Wolf Point Engineers & Contractors, a division of North Alabama Fabricating Company, Inc (NAFCO) is currently working on a turn-key contract to provide total engineering, procurement, construction, start-up, and commissioning associated with the Blue Creek Mine River Barge Loadout Facility.

 

Two (2) 500 tph truck unloading stations feed a 42″ wide stacking conveyor that utilizes a single idler belt scale. The stacking conveyor feeds a 10,000-ton stockpile. Coal is reclaimed with three (3) reclaim hoppers feeding three (3) vibratory feeders at a design rate of 2,000 tph (utilizing slide gates & a fog dust suppression system) feeding a 60″ wide reclaim transfer conveyor, BC-2, at 3,000 tph. The tail end of conveyor BC-2 is inside a concrete tunnel which includes a wash down pit with sump pump & discharge as well as a 6’ diameter emergency escape.

 

The 60″ wide reclaim transfer conveyor feeds a 120-ton capacity surge bin. Coal is reclaimed to a 72″ wide barge loadout conveyor, BC-3, at 3,000 tph. River barges are loading via a telescopic chute.

 

Wolf Point Engineers & Contractors is responsible for all facets of engineering including foundation design, structural & mechanical as well as electrical controls and instrumentation. NAFCO is fabricating the structural steel and platework. Wolf Point is also responsible for the marine work such as pile driving and installation of breasting dolphins. All unloading, conveying, reclaiming and barge loading operations are controlled by a series of programmable logic controllers (PLC’s).

 

The River Barge Loadout Facility is scheduled to be operational in November 2025.