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Future-Facing Minerals

Cadia SAG and Ball Mills


Client
Newmont
Duration
May 2024 - Mar 2025
Location
Orange, New South Wales, Australia
Value
$967 thousand
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A brownfield upgrade delivered at one of Australia’s largest gold and copper mines – drawing on PHE Group’s 20+ year presence at Cadia to support safer, more efficient processing aligned with future-facing mineral demand.

Located near Orange in central New South Wales, Cadia is one of the nation’s most productive gold and copper operations – and the nation’s only molybdenum mine. As expectations for more sustainable mining intensify, Cadia is playing an increasing role in supplying future-facing minerals to global markets.

PHE has supported Cadia for over 20 years, delivering electrical and instrumentation works across multiple asset upgrades. This latest engagement focused on modernising the chilled water systems servicing the SAG and Ball Mills – key components in the site’s high-throughput concentrator circuit.

Staged within a live processing environment, the works required shutdown-critical timing, interface management, and disciplined coordination. PHE was engaged to manage the complete E&I package – from early contractor involvement through to final commissioning – leveraging site familiarity and brownfield expertise to deliver safely and efficiently.

Project Scope

  • Electrical and instrumentation (E&I) works delivered as part of the chilled water system upgrade for Cadia’s SAG and Ball Mills.
  • Supply and installation of a new 11/0.433 kV transformer and prefabricated switchroom.
  • Installation of over 5,900 metres of cabling across high voltage, low voltage, control, instrumentation, and communications systems.
  • Installation of 374 metres of cable ladder and 40 custom cable support brackets.
  • Integration of pump control stations and lighting systems across the chiller plant and transformer bay.
  • Installation and calibration of new instrumentation on the mill heat exchangers – including 18 temperature elements, 8 pressure indicators, 4 thermowells, 4 temperature control valves, 4 flow indicating transmitters, and 6 differential pressure transmitters.
  • Completion of compliance testing, fibre OTDR testing, QA submissions, and redline as-built documentation.
  • Commissioning support across four categories – high voltage, low voltage, extra-low voltage, and communications.

Innovations and Solutions

  • Complex HV cable routing through a congested brownfield site – resolved using a tailored cable winching methodology informed by PHE's site experience.
  • Fire-rated cable entry sealing systems introduced to maintain the thermal and smoke integrity of switchroom firewalls.
  • Prefabricated supports and low-impact mounting techniques used to reduce site energy consumption and disturbance.
  • Detailed energisation staging plan developed in collaboration with Newmont to align installation with commissioning milestones.
  • QA processes linked to real-time redline markups and documentation turnover, enabling seamless integration with staged commissioning.
  • Material forecasting and cable offcut optimisation reduced installation waste and supported Newmont’s broader sustainability goals.

Outcomes and Benefits

  • More than 6,000 hours worked without a single lost-time injury, reinforcing PHE Group’s commitment to safety-first delivery in high-risk environments.
  • Improved operational efficiency and reduced long-term emissions through the upgrade of chiller infrastructure serving critical processing assets.
  • All shutdown-critical works completed on time and without impact to production, protecting uptime and operational continuity for the client.
  • Strong engagement of apprentices throughout delivery, including a female electrical apprentice, supporting a more inclusive, future-ready workforce.
  • Task-based leadership opportunities embedded across work fronts, enabling structured progression for emerging trades personnel.
  • This upgrade reflects the essential role of infrastructure renewal in sustainable mineral processing – supporting the reliable extraction of copper, gold, and molybdenum for future-facing industries.
  • Reinforced PHE's 20+ year relationship with the Cadia site – building further trust through disciplined project execution, technical alignment, and commissioning support.
Project Images
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