EPCM Consultants & AXTON
Global Project Partners

Our Experience Map

AXTON and EPCM have delivered major mining and infrastructure projects across Africa, Latin America, North America, and Asia. Explore our interactive map and filter by service, location, or client.

Project Portfolio

Showing 35 of 35 projects

Executive Summary

AXTON/EPCM would like to thank Teck for the opportunity to submit this proposal to provide high-quality planning services for current project activities at Quebrada Blanca operation, in the north of Chile.

Approach

Our methodology balances comprehensive analysis with practical focus on areas where standards alignment can significantly impact project outcomes and costs.

Our service approach combines the experience and global reach of our organization with state-of-the-art digital capabilities that support our consultants' day-to-day work, delivering exceptional efficiency and focus on your challenges.

At AXTON/EPCM, we drive outputs and implement solutions.

Background & Understanding

Introduction

Teck's Quebrada Blanca development is at a critical juncture as QB2 transitions towards a stable operating state. Tailings challenges at QB2 are a concern and stem from unexpected geological conditions and poor sand drainage, necessitating structural upgrades (dam raises, rock benches) and enhanced drainage systems. These issues are slowing production ramp-up, increasing costs, and delaying next-phase development.

The project's delay in achieving stable throughput has prompted a deferment of expansion plans and prioritization of tailings stability until full operational capacity is reached.

Teck has responded with a structured Action Plan that includes completion of rock benches through end-2025 and H1 2026 and full cyclone technology replacement targeted by end-2025.

Key Specifications & Infrastructure Drivers

• Production capacity: 140,000 tonnes/day
• Output: 316,000 tonnes Cu-equivalent/year (first 5 years) and ~7,700 tonnes Mo annually
• Investment context: US$7.4–7.75B (original estimate US$4.7B), reinforcing the need for disciplined controls and decision-grade reporting
• Infrastructure interfaces:
  • Desalinated seawater system (165km pipeline uphill to 4,400m)
  • Concentrate pipeline and port facilities at Punta Patache
  • 100% renewable power from AES Andes (2025 onwards)
  • Tailings storage facility scale and standards as stated

EPCM/AXTON will provide a disciplined planning and scheduling service to support this transition to operations. Our service will establish a reliable and auditable baseline using best practices to integrate milestones, dependencies, and constraints into a CPM master schedule, and enable a reporting cycle that provides early visibility on critical and sub-critical path movement, float consumption, and recovery options. The result is improved predictability, stronger governance, and the opportunity for clear management decisions to ultimately stabilize performance under the QB2 action plan.

Scope of Services

We will deliver a comprehensive set of planning activities that include:

Programme Master Schedule (development + control)

Develop and maintain the Programme Master Schedule to incorporate:

• Durations, milestones, dependencies, sequencing, and constraints
• Critical path definition and monitoring
• Deliverables integration and logical ties
• Manpower/resource levels (where inputs exist)
• Schedule optimization to improve realism and recoverability

Baseline Schedule Reporting (baseline + version control)

Establish the approved baseline schedule and ensure governance via:

• Baseline definition for critical path, milestones, and deliverables
• Change documentation and version control
• Clear traceability of approved changes so reporting remains auditable

Progress & Status Reporting (measurement + narrative)

Operate a reporting routine that includes:

• Baseline monitoring and schedule management
• Actual vs. planned progress updates
• Visibility of completed activities, ongoing work, and delays
• Percent complete reporting by work package (based on agreed rules)

Variance & Delay Analysis (cause + impact)

Provide analysis that:

• Quantifies slippage versus baseline
• Identifies float consumption and critical path shifts
• Explains root causes (contractor performance, resource constraints, external factors) where supported by available inputs

Forecasting & Look-Ahead Reporting (forward control)

Produce:

• 3-week look-ahead schedules for weekly execution planning
• Forward identification of bottlenecks and constraints
• Scenario planning support for recovery strategies tied to schedule logic

Resource & Productivity Reporting (time-to-effort linkage)

Track labour, equipment, and material usage against plan (where inputs exist), and report:

• Productivity trends and performance indicators
• Earned value-style metrics where feasible
• A clear narrative linking schedule performance to cost exposure (no invented cost numbers)

Milestone & Executive Reporting (management visibility)

Provide executive-grade reporting including:

• High-level summaries suitable for leadership
• RAG dashboards (Green/Amber/Red)
• Alignment with contractual obligations (as defined in contractual inputs)

We are happy to discuss other activities or adjust/fine-tune the activities described.

Approach

We will deliver our services through a structured two-tier delivery model designed to maximize both on-the-ground effectiveness and technical rigor as follows:

Site Consultants

Responsible for:

• Driving field integration activities
• Conducting progress verification and measurement in the field
• Preparing and maintaining look-ahead schedules
• Coordinating interfaces between different work fronts and contractors on site

Home Office Technical Leadership

Responsible for:

• Enforcing planning and scheduling standards across the project
• Ensuring schedule quality through systematic reviews
• Maintaining governance frameworks and controls
• Conducting independent peer review of critical deliverables
• Preparing executive reporting packs for senior management visibility

Schedule & Milestones

We can mobilize our site consultants in approximately 4–6 weeks from award. This will include:

• Onboarding
• Pre-occupational exams
• Accreditation documentation
• Remote H&S inductions

Readiness Stage (Remote)

In preparation for mobilization to site, we will deploy a structured readiness stage that will include:

Project Awareness

• Digest and summarize Project SOW and Execution Plan
• Understand key project risks, organizational and logistic challenges, and main leverages for success

Technical Setup

• Alignment with client corporate standards and client counterpart-specific expectations
• Setup reporting protocols: timing, contents, and formats; and handover to site consultants for plug-and-play delivery

Service Setup

• Agree service governance protocols including change management and reach-back support

Upon mobilization, our team will operate in steady state on a weekly rotation schedule (8x6 or as agreed) to complete a 12-month service duration.

Deliverables

Comprehensive set of Planning deliverables (as outlined in Scope of Services), to be refined during the technical setup stage, including as a minimum:

• Baseline schedule (Primavera P6), Basis of Schedule, DCMA 14-point compliant
• Weekly progress reports including 3WLA package with productivity analysis
• Monthly progress reports including deviation & analysis, schedule risk updates, milestone tracking, and EAC date forecast

Consultant Requirements

For the delivery of our service, we request the Client to provide:

• Access to complete documentation package, including project-applicable corporate standards, project procedures, PEP, current schedule and budget, risk register, project monthly reports, contractor-provided schedules and progress reports, Trends/PDN logs, action plans, and others
• Accreditation, H&S training, project onboarding
• Camp and catering at site
• Transportation from Iquique airport to site
• Office space with furniture, connectivity, screen (for efficient work on P6 and spreadsheets), printer, and coffee service
• Access to contractor data

Our Team & Capabilities

Site Consultant Shift 1 — Juan Pablo Gálvez Bobadilla (Senior Planner)

Juan Pablo is a senior project management and project controls leader with 20+ years of experience delivering complex, field-intensive programs across mining, infrastructure, aviation, broadcasting, and industrial construction in Chile, Peru, the United States, and Canada. Juan Pablo is trained as a Mechanical Engineer (Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso) and holds an MBA from Katz School of Business (University of Pittsburgh, USA). He is known for building high-performing PMOs and leading cost, schedule, and risk practices that connect strategy to execution and strengthen operational readiness.

His recent work includes serving as a Subject Matter Expert for BHP's Apollo portfolio at Minera Escondida, shaping scope definition, governance, and integrated risk management across a multi-initiative transformation program. Juan Pablo also supported BHP's Jansen Potash project by defining technology commissioning and readiness scope, developing cost models, and building integrated schedules in Primavera Cloud. Earlier roles include on-site owner representation, earned value cost control, pipeline and water systems construction leadership, and delivery support under high-risk shutdown and commissioning conditions.

Site Consultant Shift 2 — Luis Alberto Cáceres Gallardo (Senior Planner)

Luis Alberto is a senior planning and project controls professional with 15+ years of experience delivering field-driven schedule, progress, and performance management across mining, power, and telecom projects in Chile. An Industrial Management Engineer (Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María) with a Diploma in Project and PMO Direction, Luis is recognized for building robust baselines, diagnosing schedule health, and converting site realities into decision-ready reporting.

Luis has worked hands-on in operational environments including Minera Escondida (BHP), Los Pelambres, Los Bronces, and Anglo American (TPC2), leading planning routines, look-aheads, deviation detection, and multi-frequency reporting (daily to weekly) to protect critical milestones. Luis has served as Senior Planner supporting mining portfolios, applying DCMA-aligned schedule reviews and structural analysis with Acumen Fuse, and coordinating probabilistic cost and schedule risk workshops. Luis is a Lead Auditor in ISO 9001, ISO 14001, and OHSAS 18001, and is proficient in Primavera P6, MS Project, SAP, and SharePoint.

Home Office Technical Manager — Patricio Maguire (Operations Director)

Patricio Maguire is a director-level leader in capital projects with 25 years of experience guiding delivery and improving performance across large mining and infrastructure programs. Patricio brings a balanced perspective across owners, contractors, engineers, and suppliers, combining executive oversight with deep technical competence in project controls and commercial management.

Patricio is an Industrial Engineer (Universidad Técnica Federico Santa María) with postgraduate studies in Business Administration (FEN Universidad de Chile) and Digital Transformation (MIT), among others, currently pursuing a Diploma in Artificial Intelligence. Over a multi-decade career, Patricio has led cost engineering, estimating and forecasting, progress and cost reporting, tender package development and bid evaluations, contract formation and administration, claims analysis, and independent reviews. In Director and Operations management roles, Patricio is focused on aligning scope, schedule, and commercial terms to measurable outcomes, building capable teams, and strengthening governance and reporting cadence, integrating modern analytics, machine learning, and AI methods to improve visibility, predictability, and decision quality across project portfolios.

Patricio will lead the awareness and setup phase prior to mobilization, oversee the technical delivery of the service by providing back-office support and peer-reviewing critical deliverables, and remain available for red-team operations whenever required.

Commercial & Contractual

Commercial Terms

The service described in this proposal will have a monthly cost of UF 945 (approximately USD 39k) excluding travel expenses.

• Invoice amount to be grossed up by applicable taxes (e.g., 19% Chilean VAT)
• Service can be billed by entity in Chile or RSA. In case of RSA, WHT is estimated at 20%
• AXTON/EPCM will issue payment applications before the last working day of the month (date to be agreed) and Client will respond within 3 working days
• Payments due within 30 calendar days of invoicing date
• Invoices issued by Chilean entity will be expressed in CLP at the exchange rate to UF of the invoice date

Contractual Terms

Service will be subject to Client's Terms and Conditions for consultancy services (to be reviewed), with the following considerations:

• Contract duration is 13 months
• Consultant liability capped to the value of the contract
• Penalties or retentions: not applicable (client will pay amounts approved in Payment Applications)
• Intellectual property rights on deliverables: By Consultant, granted to Owner upon final payment
• Services to be performed at Client premises in Quebrada Blanca Operation
• Consultant uses own hardware and software with official licenses

Assumptions & Exclusions

Assumptions

• Client provides access to project repositories for timely access to all required documentation
• Our consultants are equipped with laptops with Windows 10/11, Microsoft Office 365 and Primavera P6, mobile phones, winter jackets, and basic PPE
• Our consultants are covered by accident insurance as per Chilean legislation
• Our service is covered by PII. Engineering or design commentary is strictly excluded from our service

Exclusions

• Activities not included in section 3 — Scope of Services, outside the boundaries of Planning discipline (e.g., Capex estimating, legal interpretation, contract drafting, financial modeling, regulatory approval submissions, etc.)
• Translation services beyond working documents
• Equipment or software in excess of the assumption to be provided by Client (e.g., pickups, radios, special PPE, additional software, etc.)