The Mardie Salt and Potash Project aims to produce 5.35M tonnes per annum (MTPA) of high purity industrial grade salt from seawater via solar evaporation, crystallisation and raw salt purification. Further processing of the salt bitterns will also produce 140 thousand tonnes per annum (ktpa) of fertiliser grade sulphate of potash (SOP), which will provide additional revenue to the project.
The Primary Seawater Intake Structure package included the design and construction of a precast concrete pump station deck supported by driven steel tubular piles. The area under deck was excavated and rock battered to form an inlet where tidal water enters the pump intake area. Electric seawater pumps were installed on the deck which deliver seawater through HDPE pipes and precast concrete dissipator pits to supply approximately 167GL of seawater to the operation per annum. The works also included the design and construction of a 2.4MW power station to provide the power needs for the seawater pumps.
