THE PROBLEM
Covalent Lithium faced the challenge of removing accumulated sediment from their HDPE lined process water pond at Mount Holland. The sediment buildup was impacting the pond’s capacity and required immediate attention. However, the project had to be executed without confined space entry or working over water constraints, and the pond needed to remain operational during the dredging process.
THE CHALLENGE
The primary challenge was to restore the dam capacity without disrupting the ongoing operations. The need to avoid confined space entry and working over water added complexity to the project. Additionally, the project had to be completed outside of shutdown windows to ensure continuous operations.
OUR SOLUTION
Dredge Robotics deployed its proprietary liner-safe robotic dredging technology to address the issue. The robot, equipped with a sophisticated suite of sensors and control systems, safely navigated the pond, degrading and removing the compacted solids. This innovative approach allowed the dredging to be conducted while the pond remained fully operational, eliminating the need for shutdowns or interruptions.
THE RESULTS
The project was completed on time and without any safety or environmental incidents. The successful removal of the sediment restored the pond’s capacity and ensured that Covalent Lithium’s operations could continue seamlessly.
The collaboration between Dredge Robotics and Covalent Lithium was highly productive, supporting the ramp-up of their new operations.
We engaged the team from Dredge Robotics to remove sediment from our process water pond which had accumulated during the commissioning process, which had to be conducted while the pond remained in use. Their liner-safe technology was able to safely clean the pond back to bare liner and restore capacity, without the need to take the asset out of service. The approach to safety taken by the entire team was outstanding and we would not hesitate in recommending the Dredge Robotics team to potential Clients.
