mining

Since 2007 Benchmark has supplied engineering and project management to Cameco at their northern Saskatchewan uranium mines.  These mines are very remote and take a lot of upfront planning.  At Cigar Lake several wells were drilled for dewatering the mine when it flooded for a second time in 2008.  Slickline wells were drilled for conveying concrete underground.  Over 10,000 m3 of concrete were pumped to abandon that portion of the mine. 

Benchmark has managed the outfitting of over 1000 freeze wells at Cigar Lake.  All freeze wells at this mine are drilled from surface.  These wells ranged in size from 222 mm to 444 mm.

Benchmark has also worked at the McArthur River mine.  At this mine they have drilled slickline wells for conveying electrical lines underground during mine development.  They have also drilled slickline wells for conveying brine underground and back to surface for underground freezing operations.  These wells were 584 mm (23 “) in size and cementing 406 mm (16”) casing in place.  Some of these wells were directional and used ranging to get the toes of the wells within meters of each other on breakthrough into the mine. 

Benchmark has also managed drilling operations in the potash sector.  We have drilled vertical wells for potash exploration.  This involved coring large sections and abandoning at the end.