Loadquip has successfully completed the factory acceptance testing (FAT) for a 1,500 tonnes-per-hour (TPH) salt harvester supplied to BCI Minerals’ Mardie Salt Operation on the Pilbara coast of Western Australia.
Following the completion of works on the tractor unit, the fully assembled salt harvester will be ready for transport to the site, marking a significant milestone for the development of one of Australia’s most important solar salt and potash projects.
The 1,500 TPH salt harvester has been engineered and manufactured by Loadquip to operate within large-scale evaporation pond environments.
“The machine traverses the ponds while collecting salt and loading trailers as it moves from end to end. The harvester and tractor combination is a well-proven design that incorporates a chain elevator and loading conveyor to load the haul trucks,” said Loadquip Director, Rowan Nicholas.
Rated to harvest salt at an average rate of 1,500 tonnes per hour, the harvester can surge to 2,000 tonnes per hour when required. Typical cutting depths range between 200 and 300 millimetres, with the capability to cut as deep as 500 millimetres.
“We are pleased to partner with Loadquip on the delivery of this salt harvester for the Mardie Salt Operation,” said Dannie Richman, Superintendent Planning at BCI Minerals.
“Loadquip’s engineering capability and collaborative approach have been evident throughout the project, and this equipment represents an important step forward as we progress towards establishing a world‑class, large‑scale solar salt operation.”
“We’re proud to work with BCI Minerals. It’s rewarding to see our engineering expertise contributing to the advancement of a globally significant development,” said Rowan Nicholas, Director at Loadquip.
BCI Minerals is developing the Mardie Salt Operation and Potash Project on Western Australia’s Pilbara coast as its flagship asset.
The company harnesses the region’s abundant sun, wind and seawater resources to produce industrial salt and sulphate of potash (SOP), a premium, chloride-free fertiliser essential to global food production.
The Mardie project spans more than 130 square kilometres in one of the world’s premier regions for large-scale solar salt production. Designed as a multigenerational operation, Mardie is expected to operate for more than 60 years and contribute significantly to Australia’s economic future.