What We Do

Construction on the vertical expansion of the existing Fine Tailings Cell B at the Lanigan mine started in 2019 and is scheduled to be completed by 2023. This expansion will provide additional storage capacity for the fine tailings and brine within the tailings management area. The scope of work involves constructing approximately 2.5 kilometers of dyke (including 285,000 cubic meters of random fill and 420,000 cubic meters of compacted dyke fill), MSE wall extension and decant tower raise, installation of 3,231 meters of 200mm seepage collector pipes and outlets, installation of seepage collector manholes, sumps and extensions varying from 200 to 1200mm, and installation of signage, roadway aggregates and erosion protection materials.

This project involved the construction of a new ash lagoon to increase water capacity at BDPS. The project included 3,105 meters of new dyke, utilizing 1 million cubic meters of earth fill for the 85-hectare pond. Key challenges included cold weather construction, varying soil conditions including shallow coal seams, significant surface water management to maximize available borrow material, dyke construction through surface water and management of utilities within work area.

During the construction of Cell A7, construction of Cell A2 dyke expansion commenced at BDPS. This project consisted of a 2-meter raise to the existing top of dyke along with dyke widening to accommodate the added height. With this raise the water control structures required reconfiguring including a gate stem extension and decommissioning of an existing water control structure.

The Brine Pond Expansion Project was a long-term capital improvement project undertaken by Nutrien at their Lanigan facility to increase the capacity of their Tailings Management Area (TMA). Over the six years of scheduled construction, KPCL constructed three new cells in the TMA to store brine and made numerous improvements to increase the efficiency in operating the TMA.  In addition, several Nutrien’s environmental goals were achieved with the new construction.

The scope of work commenced in 2014 with the construction of a 4.5-kilometer-long bentonite cut-off and working pad around the TMA boundary to depths of 15 meters below ground.  In the subsequent years 7.6 Km of new 5- to 8-meter high dykes were built to form the new brine containment cells. In expanding the TMA, topsoil was removed from over 700 hectares, approximately 1.0 million cubic meters of unsuitable material was excavated from the new dyke footprint and 1.3 million cubic meters of clay borrowed from onsite pits and 190,000 tonnes of imported sand and gravel materials were used to construct the zoned dykes.  The interior dyke slopes were protected from erosion with the installation of 245,000 square meters of geotextile overlain with 200mm deep geo-cell infilled with 120,000 tonnes of clean rock consisting of course gravel to cobble sizes.

KPCL supplied and installed an intricate seepage collector system along the outside toe of the dyke.  This system consisted of 4,900 lineal meters of perforated HDPE pipe, 26 cleanout structures and three satellite pumps. In addition, eight hydraulic control structures were installed to facilitate the transfer of brine through the dykes. Three of these structures were constructed using sixty 2 x 2-meter precast concrete box culvert segments and 150 2.4 x 4.- meter concrete revetment mattresses. The remaining structures were created using 350 lineal meters of 0.9 and 1.4-meter diameter HDPE pipe fused and installed by KPCL.  Several HDPE brine discharge lines and a number of utilities had to cross under an existing railway line.

A new storm water pond at the Lanigan facility was created to capture all the surface water runoff from the plant site. This scope of work involved 170,000 cubic meters of excavation, supply and installation of 400 meters of HDPE discharge pipe and the construction of a cast in place concrete pumphouse to house three 80 horsepower pumps required to pump water from the pond to one of brine cells.

As the Prime Contractor, KPCL managed the safety, quality control, schedule, and budget for the project. To carry out some of the scopes of work, KPCL engaged the services of 16 other subcontractors ranging across all disciplines including mechanical, electrical, and civil sectors. Critical challenges that were overcome on the project included phased construction to meet short- and long-term client requirements along with the efficient and effective management of problematic onsite borrow materials to ensure their economic incorporation into the work. Key high-level project successes included the delivery of the new Brine Management Facility two years ahead of schedule with no Loss Time Injuries in the last three years of construction.

The project involved constructing a 2-meter earth fill raise and widening to the North Tailings Management Area (TMA) Dyke at the Mosaic Colonsay Potash Mine. To complete the required raise, the exterior slope was widened with a toe drain constructed at the base of the slope. The small project footprint between the TMA dyke and the municipal road along with varying topography provided challenges to the project including traffic accommodation and a large emphasis on communication between equipment operators while in close quarters. The narrow existing dyke top with high levels of tailings further added to project complexity and emphasized the safety planning required on the project.

This project involved the construction of a 1-kilometer haul road for the Westmoreland Coal Mine near Bienfait, Saskatchewan. The surfacing structure was completed to sub-grade and sub-base specifications. Upon completion, this new haul road section has improved operating efficiencies by reducing cycle times and providing ramp access to the pit for coal recovery.

Nutrien’s brine pond pump house is an integral component of their six-year brine pond expansion project.  In 2018, PCL was selected to construct the new 9,000 square foot cast-in-place concrete and prefabricated metal Brine Pond Pump House in the Tailings Management Area. KPCL’s scope of work included: 100,000 cubic meters of excavation and 77,500 cubic meters of backfill for the concrete base of the pump house; fusion and installation of 4,300 lineal meters of 450 and 900mm diameter DR11 HDPE reclaim and return pipe; 40 lineal meters of 1.7 meter diameter Centrifugally Cast Fiberglass Reinforced Polymer intake pipe; and supply and installation of 25,000 square meters of geocell erosion protection and granular infill on the pump house intake pond slopes.  The excavation for the concrete portion of the pumphouse extended 9 meters below ground while a phased and highly coordinated approach was required to backfill the structure to meet scheduling constraints.

Key challenges for KPCL on the project included: successfully hydrostatic pressure testing long sections of the large diameter HDPE pipe; and backfilling of the structure under difficult winter conditions to prevent delays to other trades on an aggressive construction schedule.

The construction of the second 5-meter raise to the existing fine tailings Cell A commenced in 2017. The objective of the project was to create additional storage space for the hydraulically placed fine tailings originating from the mine’s processing operations while utilizing the same footprint within the Tailings Management Area. In the first year of construction 345,000 cubic meters of random fill material was sourced from borrow and placed around the periphery of the existing 3-kilometer-long containment dyke and over the existing fine tailings to form the base of the dyke raiseIn the second year of construction the dyke was raised the specified five meters using 430,000 cubic meters of clay till borrow.

During the construction of the dyke raise, KPCL supplied and installed a perimeter seepage collector system at the base of the dyke raise.  This work involved excavating 55,000 cubic meters of dyke material and installing 2,600 meters of perforated HDPE pipe, 18 HDPE cleanout structures and 45,000 tonnes of processed filter aggregates imported from offsite sources.  In addition, the existing cast-in-place decant structure was raised 5 meters to continue service for the new pond.

Key challenges on the project included: placement of fill on top of very soft, highly compressible mine tailings initially unable to support placement equipment; the installation of a seepage collection system into and below the level of the existing hydraulically placed mine tailings; and supplying and placing high performance filter aggregates that required importing granular materials from multiple sources and special processing to meet design specifications.

This project involved the construction of two new tailings storage ponds at the Nutrien Rocanville Potash Mine. This project included 2.2 million cubic meters of excavation within the pond footprint to construct 3,700 meters of new perimeter and interior dykes while placing 615,000 cubic meters of material as fill with the remaining amount being hauled to stockpiles. Additional components of the project included topsoil stripping, airstrip asphalt removal, placement of 30,000 square meters of riprap around the perimeter dyke for erosion protection, along with the construction of two large concrete brine control structures including stainless-steel slide gates. The condensed project duration (5 months) required the use of large high production equipment with daily capacities exceeding 25,000 cubic meters in a single shift.

The SaskPower Poplar River Power Station (PRPS), located near Coronach, Saskatchewan, awarded the project to KPCL in June 2016. This was a greenfield project and involved the construction of two ash storage cells to house the by-product from the coal fired power station. The new cells encompass an area of 70 hectares and involved the construction of four new dykes and the widening of three existing lagoon dykes.

The new dykes were built up to a height of 13 meters above the original ground. The total earth moved exceeded 1,914,000 cubic meters for all dykes and dyke widening. In addition, 485,000 cubic meters of ash was hauled from existing cells into the new lagoons to protect the compacted clay liner. The new cells have a combined 5.6 million cubic meter capacity for storing ash.

Other tasks required to complete the project included water control and management structures, short span bridge structures to cross slurry pipelines and the construction of bin-wall retaining walls. These bin-wall structures are up to 6 meters tall, made from corrugated metal panels and filled with granular material. Bin-wall construction was completed at the end of July 2017.

KPCL was subcontracted by JV VAULT for the construction of new fine tailings management areas to facilitate stacking of future fine tailings cells. Fill placement totaled over 1.3 million cubic meters to construct 3.8 kilometers of new containment dyke and included the installation of large diameter HDPE pipes to flow and bring water through the pond.

Key challenges included removal of prevailing fine tailings and salt to support the construction of new dykes, use of salt contaminated soils for borrow, high water table, and excessive precipitation throughout the course of the project.

This project involved raising existing tailings pond dykes by 5 meters. The scope of work included dyke raises on Cell A and Cell B of Nutrien Lanigan Fine Tailings Management ponds, concrete decant structure causeways in Cells A and B, divider dyke in the brine pond totaling approximately 1,530,000 cubic meters of earth material moved. In addition, scope included construction of 2 concrete decant structures with MSE retaining walls and seepage collection system consisting of over 8,000 meters of 250mm HDPE pipe and 40 HDPE manhole/sump/cleanout structures

Challenges on the project included working on and in the fine tailings material with varying degrees of strength for supporting excavation equipment as well as low trench stability. Spoil piles were managed to reduce any surcharge loading on the sides and limit the amount of re-excavation.

This project involved slope reduction and berm construction on the existing salt pile at the Vanscoy Potash Mine. Key challenges included working within consolidated salt tailings, reshaping existing 1:1 slopes into 3:1 slopes, and the construction of a toe berm at base of slope that incorporated both drain rock and fill materials.

This project involved the construction of four storage cells within the tailings management area. Excavations totalled 3 million cubic meters.  Key challenges included the integration of clay and HDPE liner, with the installation of a 300mm thick granular cover without damage to installed liners. High precipitation events were also incurred throughout the project

This project involved the construction of a large greenfield ash lagoon that covered approximately 150 acres in area. Key challenges included foundation preparation and previously disturbed soils and installing steep embankments through large bodies of water with 2:1 slopes. Excavation totaled 600,000 cubic meters.