Lafarge at Exshaw celebrated a key accomplishment as groundwork continues for the next chapter in the cement plant's 100-plus-year history.
Lafarge at Exshaw celebrated a key accomplishment as groundwork continues for the next chapter in the cement plant's 100-plus-year history.
First clinker was achieved at the multi-hundred million-dollar plant expansion from the newly established Kiln 6.
The dark rock-like substance was officially achieved on May 22 and during the first few weeks of its production, operations at the plant have gone “smoother than anticipated,” said plant manager Jim Bachmann.
“What we achieved (on May 22) was a major milestone,” said Bachmann.
“That's basically the accumulation of nines years of permitting and engineering and then the last three years of construction and operation preparation activities and training and working with the employees.”
Clinker, which looks like a small circular rock, is about 95 per cent of what's needed to make cement.
The other five per cent being gypsum, and Lafarge plans to celebrate its “first cement” this fall.
The older side of Exshaw's plant produces about 2,300 tonnes of clinker per day, and the new plant, at full production, will produce 4,200 tonnes per day - making about 6,500 tonnes (over 14 million pounds) of clinker per day.
“You take this clinker and you grind it back up again, (and) you add a little bit of gypsum. That's the cement that then produces the concrete, so to make the new clinker out of this line ... and in a couple months we're going to be doing all the construction you see over there that's going be the new mill, which will make the new cement,” said Bachmann.
The Exshaw expansion is currently the biggest global investment Lafarge is undertaking, and now the cement company is able to see the rewards of its expensive expansion come to life.
Construction nearly being complete on the new side of operations is a “big step” in the process of the Exshaw plant becoming more environmentally friendly as well, said MD of Bighorn Reeve Dene Cooper.
In November, Lafarge shut down the aging Kiln 4 after four decades in production as part of a provincial environmental requirement.
Comparing the two kilns, Kiln 6, per tonne of production, will be about 30 per cent cleaner for sulphur dioxide, 75 per cent cleaner for nitrous oxide emissions, and 25 per cent lower in greenhouse gas emission from combustion.
“I think we're really happy for it. It is always possible to take an old kiln and dress it up with jewelry, but you can only go so far with that,” said Cooper.
“(Kiln 6) will run with fewer emissions; it's a pretty much all round gain for the community.
“Dollar for dollar, this is good for noise (perceived beyond Lafarge fence lines) and dust in the community, and (the new kiln is) running quieter than I expected it to be,” said Cooper.
Doubling the production of operations, though, will create more traffic (train and vehicle) in the hamlet as well as more dynamite blasting in the quarry.
Cooper says these issues “have to be managed.”
Teamwork and communication with the community is key moving forward, said Bachmann.
“The community stuck by us during this whole duration of permitting, engineering and construction and they've been great partners to work with,” said Bachmann.
As operations have run smoothly since the first clinker dropped, Bachmann says having a major failure in the newly installed equipment isn't keeping him up at night.
“For me, it's somebody getting hurt,” said Bachmann. “It's someone trying to do the right thing, rushed, and didn't see a hazard and they end up getting hurt some how.
“The fact that we just celebrated a million hours with no lost time incident, that really give some comfort that we have a really risk aware team here and we're doing the right thing about the right programs.”
The plant upgrade will have the ability to produce up to 2.2 million tonnes of cement per year - an economic impact of the plant's increased production and gross domestic product of Alberta is estimated at $800-million per year.
Fifteen to 20 jobs will be created on-site when completed.
“We've been here 100 years and plan to be here 100 years more and continued to help support the economy and support people in every day lives,” said Bachmann.
