Top 3 Advantages of Legacy Buildings for Mining

Mining jobsites are some of the toughest in the world. And with delays and inefficiencies meaning lost dollars, it’s important that all onsite infrastructure works as hard as the crews. Fabric structures, engineered for some of the harshest environments in the world, are rapidly deployable to mining sites worldwide. Once onsite, they are strong, safe and portable.

Strength

Legacy buildings use proven engineering to withstand the loads from extreme wind, snow and rain. The durable fabric cladding is enhanced with UV protectors that prevent harsh sun from damaging the fabric. In addition to environmental loads, the rigid frames support bridge cranes, conveyors, ventilation systems and other dead loads as specified.

Learn how environmental loads impact fabric structures.

The patented attachment system is also designed to enhance the strength of the fabric in extreme conditions. The fabric is securely attached to each framing member, in contrast with monocover buildings that are constructed with the fabric sitting on the frames and the fabric sagging between the frames. With Legacy’s system, the fabric is under a concise, consistent level of tension in all areas, eliminating friction and distortion to the fabric scrim.

With custom engineering, alternative claddings including steel or concrete can be added to the walls. These claddings protect the building from accidental impact or pressure on the walls, while still allowing for the benefits of an energy-efficient fabric roof.

Safety

Like the old saying goes, safety first – and that’s especially important on mining sites. Legacy buildings have the following advantages for safety:

• OSHA and MSHA certified installation
• Rigid frames use proven engineering principles for permitting and safety requirements
• ISO 9001:2015 certification for consistency and high-quality processes

The very fact of adding a building onsite also enhances jobsite safety – crews are able to maintain the same level of productivity without concern of slippery sites, blowing debris or darkness. Stored ores, tailings and assets are also protected from the elements by a reliable fabric structure.

Mobility

Fabric structures in the mining industry are portable assets capable of moving to a new project after site closure. The steel frame and fabric cladding are relocatable multiple times with no loss of quality.

Architectural fabric is a lightweight, flexible building material. When it’s time to relocate the building – for redeployment or storage – the panels are detensioned, removed from the keder rails and rolled up into bundles. One building can easily be loaded onto a single flatbed trailer for transport to the next jobsite.

Engineering.com listed additional benefits of fabric structures. Read more.

Legacy’s patented fabric attachment system includes fabric panels fed into a keder rail, which is attached to a steel frame. This means there are no nails, no bolts, no penetrations of any kind in the roof.  There is no need to realign holes or locate small fasteners upon re-erection of the building.

Fabric is designed to withstand the forces of nature. It easily withstands the forces of relocation. Detensioning, rolling, porting and reattaching the fabric leaves no impact on the cladding.

Fabric Structures for the Mining Cycle

Legacy buildings have the flexible design needed for fracking, surface mining or subsurface mining. Whether the building is used for exploration, processing, reclamation or a combination of all phases of the project, the structure will provide efficiencies and benefits to mining companies and crews.

Ready to talk about a fabric structure for your mining operation? Visit Legacy Building Solutions at SME Annual Conference & Expo booth 1948, PDAC International Convention booth 6407N or via our online form.