Philip is a Civil Engineer with 4 years experience across tailings, manufacturing and SMP (Structural, Mechanical and Piping).
Philip joined Alcoa in 2021 as a Geotechnical Engineer in the tailings governance team (Global Impoundments). In May 2022, Philip joined the Kwinana operations as the Site Civil Engineer. Philip has a master’s degree in civil engineering from the University of Western Australia.

Presentation Title: The Material Handling of Filtered Bauxite Tailings at Alcoa Kwinana

Abstract:

Once tailings are filtered, their transport and deposition requirements change drastically. The traditional method of piping is no longer possible, so conveyors, spreaders, trucks and other mechanical equipment are required for filter cake handling and deposition.
The fines fraction of bauxite tailings, commonly referred to as “Red Mud”, is an extremely fine-grained material that holds a considerable amount of moisture post filtration. This presents its own array of unique materials handling challenges associated with conveyor transport, spreading, trucking, deposition, and compaction. Since commissioning filtration, Alcoa has adapted equipment, infrastructure and practices to address these materials’ handling challenges.