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Longwall Expansion Under Way in Walker County
A variety of equipment is being used on the project, which received nearly $1 million dollars in funding as part of the state legislature’s education budget.
By Cindy Riley CEG CORRESPONDENT
In Walker County, Ala., work is under way on the longwall expansion project of the Alabama Mining Academy at Bevill State Community College (BSCC).
The existing mining building already has a working section that simulates coal extraction at the school’s Sumiton campus, with the expansion designed to provide new, inexperienced miners a better understanding of longwall coal mining in the state. “The longwall will be set up prior to the walls and roof
being built,” said Ken Russell, BSCC director of workforce solutions and mine technology education. “It’s like a jigsaw puzzle, with a lot of pieces that have to fit. Logistics and timing will be the key for a smooth transition.” The Alabama Mining Academy was established in 1985 see EXPANSION page 6
Crews May Complete New Tuscaloosa Bridge By Summer ALDOT rendering
In the first half of February, the Alabama Department of Transportation (ALDOT) closed portions of Tuscaloosa’s McFarland Boulevard to allow for interstate bridge construction as part of a three-year-long, $83.4 million project. Since January 2018, ALDOT crews have been working to add lanes on Interstate 20/59 from near Exit 73 to near
Exit 77 and construct a single point urban interchange (SPUI) on McFarland Boulevard/U.S. Highway 82 directly below the interstate. John D. McWilliams, spokesperson of ALDOT’s West Central Region, said the lane closures were necessary for the contractors to safely install arches on the I-20/59 bridge that crosses over McFarland Boulevard. Nearly 60,000 drivers use the I-59/20 bridge over When complete, the project’s most striking feature will be the iconic Crimson Arch Bridge, a cable-stay arch span McFarland daily as construction continues. designed to support the interstate across the busy highway along Tuscaloosa’s southside.
see BRIDGE page 2
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Construction Commences on $775M Steelmaking Plant With a groundbreaking in late AM/NS Calvert photo February, ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel Corp. marked the official launch of a $775 million project to construct a massive new steelmaking facility at their AM/NS Calvert production site near Mobile, Ala. “Alabama and the steel industry go hand in hand, and I am proud to see continued growth through AM/NS Calvert’s $775 million expansion,” Gov. Kay Ivey said at the work site. “Shovels have officially hit the dirt, and I look forward to the advancements this project will bring.” Once completed, the planned facility will include an electric arc furnace, or EAF, capable of producing 1.5 million metric tons of steel annually. That’s enough to build 214 Eiffel Towers and get more than a quarter of a way complete on another one. The steel slabs will be made for AM/NS Calvert’s hot strip mill and a broad spectrum of steel grades required for the company’s end-user marInternal leadership at AM/NS Calvert took part in a groundbreaking to launch construction of a $775 million steelmaking facility at kets. Construction is expected to take the venture’s production site near Mobile. 24 months, and the new facility is from the steel mill company. expected to create 200 direct and 100 indi- struction, along with the hundreds of perma- sition. It has more than 1,600 employees. nent and indirect jobs, will benefit area supArcelorMittal announced the expansion “While the team at AM/NS Calvert would rect jobs in the community. prefer thanking each of our supporters who “When two of the leading steel companies pliers and local families for years to come.” project in August 2020. ArcelorMittal calls AM/NS Calvert the “This investment will enhance AM/NS were critical to the approval of this project in — ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel — make a significant investment such as this, the world’s most advanced steel finishing facili- Calvert’s competitive position and expand person, we look forward to celebrating this world takes notice,” said Bill Sisson, presi- ty. It was originally built by ThyssenKrupp, its capabilities while also delivering a mas- achievement when the new facility comes dent and CEO of the Mobile Area Chamber with a total investment of approximately $4 sive economic impact on Alabama,” noted online in H1 2023,” said AM/NS CEO Jorge billion. ArcelorMittal and Nippon Steel Greg Canfield, secretary of the Alabama Oliveira. “We certainly could not have of Commerce. gained approvals for this investment without “This announcement shows a great confi- acquired the facility in 2014, and the partners Department of Commerce. The groundbreaking was commemorated the support of our government and commudence in the Mobile area, and for that we are have invested more than $200 million in grateful. The capital investment and con- strategic projects in Calvert since the acqui- with a small gathering of internal leadership nity stakeholders.”
Correcting Arch Problem Will Allow More Reconfigurations BRIDGE from page 1
When complete, though, the project’s most striking feature will be the iconic Crimson Arch Bridge, a cable-stay arch span designed to support the interstate across the busy highway along Tuscaloosa’s southside. Its crimson coloring is a nod to the town’s fabled University of Alabama Crimson Tide athletics program, specifically its football team, the reigning 2021 national champions. The arches are necessary as they will hold the weight of the bridge over the road below and will allow the contractor to remove underneath supports. This design will allow for more space on McFarland Boulevard where the SPUI is being constructed.
Last September, however, ALDOT said that the eastbound arch on I-20/59 over McFarland Boulevard would be replaced about 10 months after confirming that there were concerns with its initial installation. As a result, Birmingham-based Brasfield & Gorrie, the company awarded the contract to improve I-20/59 and install the arches, removed the eastbound arch during the weekend of Jan. 15 to 17, 2021. This meant that the enterprise that began in early 2018, and was supposed to be finished in December 2020, is now set for completion this summer, at the earliest. The overall project includes widening the northbound and southbound sides of I-20/59
to three lanes from about a mile north of Exit 76 to just south of the McFarland Boulevard bridge, but the problem with the arches has gotten the most attention. Meant to be painted crimson to serve as a default gateway into the city of Tuscaloosa, ALDOT inspectors found soon after the eastbound arch was erected in early November 2019 that it was torqued, or twisted, in a way that could pose problems for the future. It was unclear whether the problem with the arch occurred during manufacturing or installation, but ALDOT officials have said the arches are meant to be more than just a crimson-colored doorway to the college
town. Correcting the problem will allow ALDOT to reconfigure the current diamond shape intersection of I-20/59 and McFarland Boulevard to a SPUI, which will eliminate one of the red lights now at the intersection. Doing so is meant to improve traffic flow along the roadway while simplifying the access to and exits from the interstate. An SPUI’s function is to improve travel time while also enhancing safety, as it allows motorists to simultaneously turn without crossing the path of opposing left-turning motorists and moves more vehicles through the intersection while reducing potential conflict points.
Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • March 10, 2021 • Page 3
Atlanta, GA 404.469.7210 Birmingham, AL 205.841.6666 Madison, AL 256.350.0006 Mobile, AL 251.633.4020 Montgomery, AL 334.262.6642 Oxford, AL 256.832.5053 Tuscaloosa, AL 205.848.4147 Pensacola, FL 850.479.3004
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Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • March 10, 2021 • Page 5
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Alabama Mining Academy Set to Receive Big Upgrades EXPANSION from page 1
and are now moving into the concrete phase of work.” to provide assistance to the industry in developStults said, for the most part, the elements ing and implementing effective mine health have not been a problem. and safety programs. The training program also “Weather has cooperated thus far; however, provides rescue and recovery services for there have been some rain days that resulted in Alabama’s smaller mines, by providing two slight shifts of scheduling.” fully equipped and well trained mine rescue A variety of equipment is being used on the teams. BSCC is the only college in the state that project, which received nearly $1 million doloffers mine technology curriculum. lars in funding as part of the state legislature’s “In Alabama, the larger coal operators mine education budget. the Blue Creek coal seam. This coal is primari“We utilized a 200 trackhoe, a sheep’s foot ly used for steel making, and is, for the most roller, skid steers, two dump trucks, forklifts part, not used in power plants or as steam coal. and cranes,” said Stults. “The main materials Met coal is much more environmentally friendly, and commands a higher sales price per ton. required are suitable backfill dirt, cinderblock, Obviously, the larger operators employ a lot of hollow core slabs, concrete, doors and some people and provide high wages and benefits minor electrical items.” that are good for the region and state Construction includes an inside classroom, economies. The longwall expansion will add made from block and hollow core slabs. the missing pieces for these new miners to have “The major concern with this project, from a basic knowledge of the mining cycle. It offers this point on, is laying the blocks in the correct a continuous miner section and a longwall secway to accept the hollow core slabs,” Stults tion with all the production and safety aspects said. of both.” In addition, the concrete topping for the A groundbreaking ceremony for the expanslope of the roof has a vapor lock add mixture sion was held in December 2020. that creates a moisture barrier for the project. “Work is progressing on the project from the As for the condition of the site before work began, said Randy Stults, BSCC For workers, it will make for an interesting construction side, and I’m in the midst of work- director of facilities, operations and project management, “The site was veg- pour. ing with our industry partners gathering equip- etative in state. There were unsuitable soils below grade, and the contractor As for the condition of the site before work ment, guidance and professional knowledge to addressed all these issues based upon the geotechnical report that we had began, said Stults, “The site was vegetative in have it all ready when the contractor tells me performed.” state. There were unsuitable soils below grade, it’s time for the longwall to be set up,” said and the contractor addressed all these issues based upon the Russell, who’s extremely pleased to see workers moving forgeotechnical report that we had performed. ward with the undertaking. “Prep work involved stripping topsoil and undercut and “The majority of my 30-year mining career was spent in backfilling with good suitable fill dirt material. This is a stansafety at a large underground operation in Alabama. I’ve dard procedure in site work construction, not uncommon, been at Bevill for the past 14 years over mine training. and most construction requires it to be able to build to suit There’s nothing more rewarding than knowing that I’ve had the project needs. A total of 5,000 cubic yards of fill will be a small part ensuring that miners are not only trained on how moved on the project.” to do daily tasks or job procedures, but they will also learn Andrew C. Jackson II, vice president of WAR the health and safety aspects each job brings, as well as the Construction Inc., said that the site work company used a challenges they will face in an underground environment four-man crew. every working day.” “They have been on site for roughly three weeks. They According to Randy Stults, BSCC director of facilities, stripped the topsoil, undercut the building pad 10 feet out operations and project management, constructing the mock around the perimeter and backfilled the undercut areas with longwall takes a great deal of planning and coordination. borrow material. They came up eight-inch lifts to meet the “There are multiple long wall shield equipment pieces, compaction requirements. Once they were to grade, they each weighing approximately 25 tons. These pieces of completed their scope of work. They are currently installing equipment must be set in place before the final construction the road so the owner-furnished equipment can be installed.” can continue.” For Russell and the rest of the team, the completed project Stults noted that the longwall expansion calls for multiple can’t come soon enough. electrical/hydraulic pieces of equipment used to support the mine roof, while coal is being extracted from the coal seam “The people most excited for this expansion would be the and loaded onto a conveyor system that eventually comes to met coal operators, including Warrior Met Coal, Peabody the surface. Energy, Shoal Creek Mine, Crimson Coal and Oak Grove “This mining cycle is repeated over and over, extracting Mine. They know the value resulting from the project, and about a three-foot width of the coal face, and the shields are without their support, it would not have been possible. lowered and the conveyor system is pushed up against the Senator Greg Reed and Chancellor Jimmy Baker turned the coal face, and the whole process starts over. wheels to make it all happen, and for that I will be forever “One of the biggest challenges is probably going to be setgrateful.” ting the owner-bought equipment in regards to the logistics Randy Stults, BSCC director of facilities, operations Russell added, “It has been my desire to make the mining and project management, said, for the most part, the of getting in and out of the site. Setting the equipment and elements have not been a problem. “Weather has coop- program at Bevill not only one of the best, but the best mine building the structure itself are among the major tasks that erated thus far; however, there have been some rain training facility in the country. The longwall expansion will remain. We have completed the building pad construction, days that resulted in slight shifts of scheduling.” move Bevill closer to that reality.” CEG
Construction Equipment Guide • Alabama State Supplement • www.constructionequipmentguide.com • March 10, 2021 • Page 7
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