Mining Industry | Page 2 of 2 | Alaska Structures

Fabric Buildings for Mine Site Haul Truck Storage.

The Importance of Reliable Mining Equipment, Storage, and Maintenance Facilities

As technology advances, mining operators rely on it more to help managing their sites. One tool can now predict time-to-failure of mining machines, however it is expensive. It relies on sensors and scientists to decode the data. Managers may not be able to make room for IT solutions in their operational budgets, but can still monitor their machines. Using the RAM metric can help prevent machine breakdowns. With proper upkeep, machines will last to their full potential, while failure time predictions do nothing for the machines. Updating buildings is the first step in upkeeping machines since they protect them; strength and durability are key.

Tension fabric buildings used at mining site.

Mining Operations Reduce Downtime with Fabric Structures

With the growing demand for resources, mining operations must run as smoothly as possible. An issue with mining sites is having a lot of downtime. Managers have options to cut downtime and increase productivity of mines. One option is using real-time performance management systems, which can share data throughout the company. Another option is preventive planning to find weak points in operations. Finally, efficient buildings will minimize downtime. Fabric buildings are a good option when increasing building efficiency. They offer a lot at a fraction of the price of traditional buildings.

Benefits and Applications of the Quonset Hut Design

Quonset Huts got their first use in navy operations during World War II. Named for the Naval Air Station where the hut first appeared, it can serve a variety of purposes today. These hooped buildings serve housing needs, workshops, mining operations and research camps, and more. There is a variety of benefits to using Quonset Huts in private and public business operations. These benefits include cost savings, flexible design, customization, durability, easy and fast set up, and effective use of space. In addition to operational benefits, these huts have less environmental impact than traditional buildings. Alaska Structures designs huts that will maximize energy efficiency and eliminate wastes.

Advantages of Fabric Buildings vs Traditional Construction Methods

Versatile, strong, and portable, tension fabric buildings present many advantages over similar-sized wood, metal, pole, and other traditional structures.

Fabric building camp system and mining camp

Mining Operation uses Alaska Structures’ Camp Systems

It’s easy to talk about the benefits of fabric buildings in mining operations, but third-party insight is invaluable. This article provides an example of practical application of fabric buildings in the real world. A manager of a mining site, Mike Smith, uses Alaska Structures fabric buildings to set up his mining operations. Operations include sleepers, offices, showers, and dining rooms. According to Smith, camps set up in days, including water and electrical work, much faster than building a traditional structure. Alaska Minerals saves time and money to have efficient operations using fabric buildings. These low-cost operations make mining operations competitive and profitable.

Reduce Logistics Costs in Geophysical Expeditions

Geophysical exploration helps us learn more about the earth, and helps us find and secure resources for our everyday lives. These expeditions take place in some of the harshest areas and require strong structures for storage, operations and housing. Building on site could be very costly, but there is a way to limit costs. By using fabric structures, operational costs reduce because the structures are energy efficient, lower cost, and long-lasting. These structures have long lives and a good investment for multiple operations. Alaska Structures has tested designs for such long-lasting fabric structures, providing solutions to help improve these expeditions.

Field Offices for Quick Deployment – Only from Alaska Structures

In any industry, before you begin work in the field, you must establish your operation center. Getting a base formed is vital because you need buildings to protect and repair equipment, shield workers, and more. When setting up operations, an affordable building solution is to use fabric buildings for your field structures. Fabric buildings are reliable and have strength comparable to brick-and-mortar buildings at a lower cost. Alaska Structures provides portable, durable fabric structures, tested by third-party engineers, that you can customize to fit your operation’s needs. These structures can support any operation, but can be especially useful in the quick deployment of mining and oil operations.

Industrial warehouse fabric building in the arctic.

Fabric Buildings & Energy Efficiency

You may have your operations housed in an old building, wasting energy and driving up costs due to poor insulation, etc. Before you begin upgrades, it’s important to explore all your options for repairing an old structure or building a new one. Sometimes repairing an old structure can be just as expensive as building a new one, and both take a lot of time. Another option is to use a fabric building to support your operations, as they are fast and easy to setup. In addition, they are typically less costly than upgrades or a building a brick-and-mortar structure. Alaska Structures designs fabric structures with a host of benefits and ways to save and increase energy efficiency.

GBX gable buildings temporarily used for housing in remote camp in Alaska.

Fabric Buildings vs. ISO Containers

ISO shipping containers provide a way for intermodal transport, shipping items from the ship to the rails and then to trucks. This versatility doesn’t translate to housing and camping, however some commercial and governmental operations use them for this purpose. Imagine trying to sleep or work inside a metal crate with no windows or insulation. Those aren’t optimal conditions to live or work in. A better option for a camp system would be a fabric structure, designed to house people and equipment. Factors that make fabric structures a better option are safety, shipping costs, portability, construction costs, versatility, and energy efficiency.

Green Building Practices With Alaska Structures

Nationally and globally there have been efforts to reduce waste and pollution on our planet, including the recent Paris Agreement. With global warming and new legislation, operations must use energy-efficient and eco-friendly buildings to help the planet and avoid lawsuits. Green buildings efficiently use energy, protect occupant health and reduce waste and pollution according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Alaska Structures offers a solution for operations managers that will follow EPA standards while not increasing operation costs a lot. Their fabric structures are equipped with lots of options that cut down energy costs, are reusable, and comfortable for employees to work in.

Cold-Climate and Extreme-Altitude Mining Solutions

Mining operations often take managers and miners to the most remote locations with extremely harsh conditions. They need structures that can protect them as they work, and will last the length of the operation. For instance, the Bema Gold mines are in far east Russia, where weather conditions are extreme. It snows 315 days a year with an average temperature of -67°F and up to 132 mph wind gusts. They have fabric buildings from Alaska Structures that they used for 10 years before replacing them. The Bema Gold mines and other operations facing similar harsh weather need durability and long-lasting quality, which their designs can provide.

fabric buildings covering long pipeline.

Fabric Buildings for Oil & Gas, Mineral Exploration and Mining

Fabric buildings are designed to withstand the harshest elements and are suitable for use in many different types of commercial operations today. They are lightweight and portable, yet strong, durable, and proven to last on the field by third-party engineers. Fabric buildings are also customizable and can address specific need for your business. They can be used for a variety of purposes on site, for office buildings, storage, shops and even housing for workers. Alaska Structures’ fabric buildings have been used for government operations as well as commercial operations including: construction, mining, and mineral exploration.