Mining

or more than a century, Washington Group International has partnered with our
clients in the minerals industry designing and building mines and mine facilities in
North and South America, Asia, the Middle East, and Europe. We have also served for
more than six decades as a mining contractor operating industrial, energy minerals,
and metals mines.
Our approach is to provide comprehensive services ranging from:
Mine planning and feasibility studies at program conception through mine management
Contract mining
Engineering, procurement, and construction (EPC) of process facilities
Closure and restoration
We are the only North American contractor, and one of only four globally, to offer
EPC services. We partner with our clients to provide practical operating procedures,
sound
engineering standards, and state-of-the-art mining technologies for every phase of the
project.
Notable projects from our Mining Business Unit include the $1.9 billion El Crrjon
Coal Project in Colombiathe largest turnkey coal mine development completed
by a single contractorand the 20-million-tonnes-per-year MIBRAG lignite mine in
Germany
the countrys safest, most efficient, and most successful coal mine and power privatiza-

MIBRAG

tion effort, where Washington Group

is a 50-percent equity/management
partner.
We are long-term partners with our
clients. Examples include the Absaloka
Coal Mine in Montana, the Conda
Phosphate Operations in Eastern
Idaho, and the Black Thunder Mine
in Wyoming, which we have mined
continuously for more that 30 years, 27
years, and
eight years respectively.

Energy Fuels
Washington Group is a major contributor to the worlds energy supply,
specializing in technologically innovative as well as conventional surface
mining methods. Today, we not only
provide our public
and private sector clients with full
service
in energy minerals development and
recovery, we also carefully analyze and
assist our clients with social, political,
environmental, and financial considerations. Washington Group serves two
primary areas: Coal and Oil Sands.
Coal
Our five decades of coal mining
experience provides our clients with
the skill sets necessary to improve
under-performing operations to meet
growing global demands for power.
We were part of the first privatization of the MIBRAG operations near
Leipzig, Germany in 1994. Formerly
state-owned, MIBRAG was converted
to one of the countrys most modern

mining operations, today producing 20 million tonnes per year of lignite for local
power plants. In addition to our interest in MIBRAG, Washington Groupthrough
our wholly owned subsidiary Washington Group Deutschland GmbHprovides mine
engineering, operations consulting, and management services. Our award-winning
safety program is integrated into all operations at MIBRAG, resulting in much safer
working conditions, and influencing the entire German lignite mining industry. In addition, reclamation operations implement multiple-use and environmentally valuable
landscapes to complement the Leipzig Lowlands. As part of our reclamation program,
native trees and shrubbery are planted to form mixed hardwood forests, fruit trees,
orchard meadows, and hedgerows.
This $1.2-billion project is expected to continue operations through the year 2030.
At the $2.1 billion grassroots El Crrjon Coal Mine, Washington Group developed
a 15-million-tonnes-per-year surface coal mine, a 90-mile mine-to-port railroad, and
a new seaport at the Bay of Portete in a rugged and isolated area near Barrancas,
Colombia. This was the largest turnkey coal project developed by a single contrac-

El Crrjon Coal Mine Port Facility

tor. We designed and constructed coal handling facilities at the port and mine sites,
as well as an airport at each site. More than 12,000 people were part of the project to
design, procure, and construct the facilities for a joint venture between the Colombian
state organization, Carbocol, and Intercor, a subsidiary of ExxonMobil Corporation.
Through efficient schedule and financial management, Washington Group completed
the project $200 million under budget.
At the Paso Diablo Surface Coal Mine west of Maracaibo, Venezuela, Washington
Group provided mine management services for operations, planning, engineering,
maintenance, human resources, training, labor relations, safety, hygiene, and environmental systems. Within the first 24 months of this project, while using best-in-class

operating and maintenance practices for the mines owners, Carbozulia, Anglo Coal,
and Peabody, we increased production by 77% to 7.1 million tonnes-per-year with the
existing equipment fleet.
Washington Group, as a 20% equity partner in Westmoreland Resources, has operated
the Absaloka Mine, a surface coal operation in Montanas Powder River Basin, under
a long-term contract since 1972. More than 80% of the mines workforce is from the
Crow Nation, and this operation mines more than 6.4 million tons per year. In addition to mining operations, we have also conducted coal quality studies, extensive mine
and geologic
modeling, and simulation for future mine planning. We have developed a program
that teaches mining skills and sponsors supervisory training for Crow Nation tribal
members.
Oil Sands
Washington Group is involved in the accelerated development of the vast Canadian oil
sands deposits, which have become a center for petroleum production in recent years.
Our experience includes work for Syncrude Canada Ltd., where we performed an

in-depth study to determine the most effective method of removing overburden from
the Mildred Lake oil sands deposit and established a cost estimate for the proposed
stripping plan.
Another project for Syncrude Canada Ltd. involved preparation of design specifications
for the second phase of an emissions reduction project near Fort McMurray, Alberta.
Working together, we conducted detailed engineering and prepared a definitive cost
estimate to retrofit a flue gas desulfurization facility for its crude oil production operations. Additional and follow-on work at the Mildred Lake facility includes detailed
engineering and procurement services for two existing fluid cokers.
Washington Group was also commissioned to perform a pre-feasibility study for a
greenfields oil sands operation for Deer Creek Energy. This study included design of
an aggressive development program for producing 110,000 bbl per day of bitumen,
resource quantification, mine and plant design, processing, and environmental impact
evaluations.

Precious Metals
Washington Groups core strength in contract mining benefits our precious metals
clients through efficient and cost-effective mining methods and operations, and posiFort Knox Gold Mine

Fort Knox Gold Mine

tive project economics. We provide process engineering services, crusher and conveyor
systems,
mill and refinery facilities, and we work with our clients to identify and implement
value-engineering opportunities, focusing on cost savings and on improving new
or existing plant operations.
Washington Group provides precious metals services in two primary areas: Gold and
Silver.
Gold
Washington Group was the prime contractor at the Fort Knox Gold Mine Project
northeast of Fairbanks, Alaska, providing engineering, procurement, and construction
management (EPCM) services for this grassroots mine facility. The project included
the primary crusher building, conveyor system, multi-floor mill, and refinery complex.
The Fort Knox Gold Mine, for Fairbanks Gold Mining Incorporated (a subsidiary of
Amax Gold, Inc.), was designed and built to process 36,000 tons of gold ore per day.
Washington Group provided contract-mining services at an open pit/agitation
leach gold operation at the Copperstone Gold Mine located on the California/Arizona border. This drill-and-shoot operation included haul road construction, mine
pre-stripping, excavation and disposal of alluvium and waste rock, and mining and

Fort Knox Gold Mine

hauling of ore to the crushing facility. Under this contract from Cyprus Copperstone
Gold Corporation, ore production averaged 4,600 tons per day (tpd) and alluvium and
waste production averaged 32,000 tpd.
Silver
Washington Group is the contractor at the San Cristobal silver, lead, and zinc mine
in Southwestern Bolivia, which is considered to be the worlds largest primary silver
mine development project. This project for APEX Silver Mines Ltd. has 210 million
tonnes of proven and probable reserves, and is projected to yield 450 million ounces of
silver. Washington Group is contracted for shop construction, earth work and contract
mining.
At the Cerro San Pedro Silver/Gold Mine in San Luis Potosi, Mexico, Washington
Group performed site development and is providing contract mining services. This
operation for Minera San Xavier, S.A de C.V. (Metallica Resources Inc.) includes plant
site, heap leach pad, site roads, process solution ponds, and pre-production stripping. Our operations for this conventional open pit mine are expected to produce over
17.3 million ounces of silver and 755,000 ounces of gold over the mines eight-year
life. Daily production averages 57,000 tpd ore and waste, utilizing hydraulic shovels
matched to 190-ton off-highway haulage trucks.

Base and Ferrous Metals

Washington Group is an industry leader in the development of base and ferrous
metals through EPCM contracts and contract mining. Our technically diverse engi-

neers and management professionals contribute substantially to the industrial growth

and economic development of an increasingly competitive global marketplace. Our
project development strength is a direct result of our market heritage: including our
proactive approach to
identifying and integrating new technologies throughout our operations, maintaining
a focus on state-of-the-art mine modeling software, and employing the skills and
experience of our in-house front-end engineering and consulting group.
Washington Group provides base and ferrous metals services in three primary areas:
Zinc, Copper and Molybdenum.
Zinc
At the San Cristobal mine in Southwestern Bolivia, we are the contractor for one
of the largest zinc mining projects in development today; this operation is expected
to produce eight billion pounds of zinc. This mine also produces silver (see Precious
Metals).
Copper

Ok Tedi Copper/Gold

Washington Group recently completed a contract for Quadra Mining Ltd., based in
Vancouver, British Columbia, to operate the restarted Robinson Copper mine near
Ely, Nevada. At this copper-gold ore open pit operation, expected to produce 38,000
tons of
ore per day, we performed topsoil stripping; drilling, blasting, loading, and hauling
ore
and waste; dump and haul road maintenance; and equipment maintenance.
Under an Equatorial Mining Limited contract, Washington Group provided contract
mining services at the Tonopah Copper Mine on the western flank of the San Antonio
Mountains, 200 miles north of Las Vegas, Nevada. This open-pit operation, with a
production capacity of 10 million tons annually (30,000 tones per day), included site

Thompson Creek Molybdenum Mine

preparation, mine start-up, operations, equipment maintenance, and reclamation. Our

services included drilling, blasting, loading hauling, and overburden removal (five millions tons).
During an expansion of Kennecotts copper concentrating facility at Bingham Canyon
near Salt Lake City, Utah, our project team installed the nations largest (at the time)
SAG mill: 36 feet in diameter, with a 16,000 hp gearless ring motor that can produce
112,000 tons
per day of concentrate.
In the mountainous jungle of Papua, New Guinea, Washington Group provided overall design, procurement, and construction of the Stage 1 mine services facilities and
systems for the Ok Tedi Copper/Gold Mine. This included an equipment maintenance
workshop, warehouse, offices, worker amenities, roads, fuel storage and dispensing
system, a 15,000 tonne-per-day extraction plant, 14 km of tailings pipeline and a 24
meter-high rockfill dam for tailings disposal, a town site for 1,250 people, and a hydroelectric dam and power station.
Molybdenum
At the Henderson Molybdenum Mine in Colorado, Washington Group supplied engineering and procurement services for a 30,000 tons-per-day flotation concentrator
for Cyprus Amax Minerals. The concentrator, designed to produce 144 tons-per-day
of molybdenum concentrate, included primary and secondary crushing, grinding, and

Jordan Magnesia Company (JORMAG)

Jordan Magnesia Company (JORMAG)

three-stage flotation.
At the Thompson Creek Molybdenum Project in Idaho, Washington Group provided
design and engineering services for molybdenum ore handling and processing facilities, access and haul roads, ancillary buildings, and tailings disposal. We developed
a comprehensive reclamation plan for the entire project site, including a feasibility
assessment for developing a fishery in the flooded pit.

Industrial Minerals
Washington Groups strengths in mine planning, design, engineering, construction,
and production have served as key elements in many of our clients successes.
In the industrial minerals markets, we provide services in three primary areas:
Metals and Minerals, Chemicals, and Fertilizers.
Metals and Minerals
The Jordan Magnesia Company (JORMAG) contracted Washington Group to provide construction management, commissioning, and start-up services for a magnesium
oxide plant near the shore of the Dead Sea in Jordan. The new plant produces magnesium oxide pellets used to make refractory bricks for kilns and furnaces. Typical
of many international projects, our management included oversight of the three local
mechanical, civil/structural, and electrical contractors.
Bauxite
In Jamaica, a world leader in bauxite production, Washington Group mines ap-

Agrium Kapuskasing Phosphate Mine

Mining Business Unit

7800 East Union Avenue

Denver, Colorado, USA 80237
Phone: (303) 843-3113
FAX: (303) 843-2324
mininginfo@wgint.com

Visit our web site at www.wgint.com

Nothing in this document shall be construed as constituting a partnership, general agency, employer/
employee, representative, or any other relationship between Washington Group International and the