Mineral Resources subsidiary Crushing Services International has sued a Perth contractor over alleged defects from a crane supplied to work on BHP’s Mount Whaleback mine.
Mineral Resources subsidiary Crushing Services International has sued a Perth contractor over alleged defects from a crane supplied to work on BHP’s Mount Whaleback mine.
CSI recently lodged a writ in the Supreme Court of Western Australia, naming Ronco Group as the defendant.
In the writ, CSI claimed it suffered loss and damage after Ronco Group allegedly breached an agreement over sales, service and supply of over crane parts and equipment.
The crane was to be used for CSI under a contract signed with BHP in 2020, to develop a crushing plant at the latter’s Mount Whaleback iron ore mine in the Pilbara.
According to the writ, CSI alleged that Ronco Group’s assembly of the 400-tonne crawler crane at the Mount Whaleback mine led to the machinery becoming unstable and toppling over in September 2020.
It is further alleged the toppling incident causing damage to the crane and led to CSI carrying the costs and delays to the works under the BHP contract.
CSI claimed, in the writ, that Ronco failed or refused to undertake the toppling repair works.
In the writ, CSI alleged it had to demobilise the damaged crane, moved it from Mount Whaleback to Newman speedway, and engaged another company to repair the parts, at its own cost.
CSI alleged, in the writ, that the defects were so significant that the crane had to be taken to the Kwinana depot to be repaired.
“It was not possible for the replacement of the treads to be undertaken in Newman or at the Newman Speedway because the time it would take for the replacement treads to be manufactured was longer than the time for completion of the Mount Whaleback Contract under the construction schedule,” the writ read.
“Due to the size of the crane when it was unloaded, inspected and subsequently loaded for transport back to Kwinana, damage was caused to earthworks at the Newman Speedway which at the plaintiff’s expense had to be made good following the demobilisation of the crane.”
In the writ, CSI said it had to transport a replacement 280-tonne crane from its Kwinana depot to Newman to continue its Mount Whaleback activities.
CSI alleged, in the writ, that the use of the replacement crane, which had a different load capacity, led to delays in performing its contract with BHP.
Ronco has been contacted for comment.
