project descriptions
Gila Raise Project
Swapp Construction has been contracted by Freeport McMoran to build the Gila Raise Civil Dam project. Work will consist of raising the earthen dam 20 vertical feet and moving 677,000 cubic yards of material. This project is scheduled to be completed by end of the year 2024.
MEH Airlines Project
Our involvement in the Mine Engineered Heap (MEH) project began during the research and development phase with Phelps Dodge, testing various methods of burying airlines in front of ROM stockpiles. We experimented with techniques like using a 6-foot wide plow mounted on a dozer and excavators to dig ditches. Different burial depths for the HDPE lines were tested, and cameras were used to assess the survival rate of the installation methods. The main challenge was reducing variables and improving the survivability of the airlines, which was crucial for later production projects.
In 2009, we received our first MEH project and focused on improving productivity and reducing costs. One key challenge was the safety risk posed by employees walking long distances (up to 60 miles per project) across rough stockpiles, leading to slips, trips, and falls.
To address this, we developed the "Pipe in a Pipe" method, where HDPE pipe is pushed through corrugated pipe rather than manually placing the corrugated pipe over it. We engineered and built a specialized machine for this method, which was tested and approved in 2013. This innovation reduced 95% of the walking and provided significant cost savings for our customers.
Custom Crushing
United States Forest Service
Swapp Construction specializes in the production of Aggregate Base Course and has done so for the past 20 years. During that time we had a crushing plant staged in Springerville, Arizona for a period of over 10 years. That plant provided AB to the local construction companies, builders, and government agencies.
We currently have crusher locations in Luna, New Mexico and Morenci, Arizona with a new location opening soon in Duncan, Arizona.
United States Forest Service
United States Forest Service
For years Swapp Construction has been called upon to provide Aggregate Base Course for projects located throughout New Mexico and Arizona. Our company provides material as well as road construction services to build roads into local lakes, parks and other recreational areas throughout the community. A few examples of these are the roads to Big Lake , Snow Lake, Quemado Lake Campgrounds , and Gila Bird Sanctuary just to name a few.
In the summer of 2011, a wild fire in the White Mountains grew out of control. Swapp Construction was called to provide support. Swapp Construction built fire lines around the town for the local community and also provided around the clock water service for the government agencies that were fighting the fires. Meeting the watering demands of the Forest Service was a huge challenge that we were able to overcome.
This was an emergency job that was close to our hearts, and our homes.
East Gold Gulch Pond Cleaning
The East Gold Gulch Pond is an environmental containment pond that stops potentially harmful chemicals and acids from entering the Waters of the US. The plastic lined pond had become filled with silts that reduced the overall volume of the pond which put our customer out of compliance with their environmental permitting. Freeport-McMoRan requested that we clean the pond with the following parameters:
- Clean the pond with no damage to the plastic liners
- Keep the pond operational throughout the project
Our group built a small rail system that could be placed on the plastic liner without damaging it. The rail system uses an inexpensive self-dumping trash bin on wheels to remove the mud from the pond and would have been unaffected by any flooding that could have occurred in the pond. We met all of our customers' expectations and this is now the accepted way that the ponds are cleaned.
Sun Ridge
Swapp Construction's most extensive pioneering and pre-mining accomplishment was preparing Sun Ridge in the Upper Chase Creek area, north of the Morenci Coronado Pit for exploratory drilling followed by pre-mining drilling and blasting.
Our team built over 15 miles of roadway on a ridge that often times was completely inaccessible, even on foot. There were no roads in the area at all and most of the work was bid using binoculars. Some of the challenges of the project were drilling and blasting with up to 8 exploratory drills within our blasting radius and Highway 191 at the bottom of the project. It took great responsibility and coordination to clear the areas for each shot. Scheduling proved to be incredibly challenging due to the importance of the drills moving onto the sites immediately after we had finished them. We were able to overcome the challenges faced on the Sun Ridge Project and we have a great deal of pride when we see large mining shovels now able to access the ridge safely.
Chase Creek Reclamation 2001
Morenci Chase Creek Cleanup 2008
Morenci Chase Creek Cleanup 2008
Between the historic towns of Clifton, AZ and Morenci, AZ, slag from local smelters had been deposited for many years in Chase Creek. Swapp Construction was awarded the contract to clean up the slag and other waste products that had been dumped there and return the area to its natural state.
Our team faced many difficult challenges due to the highly abrasive slag material causing excessive wear on all the ground engaging parts. Often times the ripper points would only last an hour, rather than the typical 100 hour life expectancy. All the slag was successfully removed and non-mineralized material was hauled in to return the area to a natural state.
Morenci Chase Creek Cleanup 2008
Morenci Chase Creek Cleanup 2008
Morenci Chase Creek Cleanup 2008
In 2008, our company was once again called on to clean up Chase Creek, however this time it was to help stop copper laden electrolyte from entering a local river system. Our equipment was ready to go and our trucks carried the material that helped stop the electrolyte from entering into the Waters of the US.
This project tested all of our skills in quick response, logistics, scheduling, and teamwork with other contractors in a high stress situation. We were successful in responding to the crisis and provided the necessary support for our customer throughout the job.
Industrial Aggregate Projects
Morenci Chase Creek Cleanup 2008
Industrial Aggregate Projects
The Springerville Generating Station owned by SRP and operated by TEP/UniSource provides energy utilizing a state-of-the-art-coal-fired power plant.
In 2006 Swapp Construction was contracted to provide the Aggregate Base Course for the large expansion project that began in 1985 and was completed in December of 2009.