Vista Metals

Following the construction of four equipment pits, Choate adds a massive pit for a lithium furnace. This pit measures 50 feet by 30 feet and is 35 feet deep, requiring engineered shoring systems, confined-space entrance safety measures, and extra thick concrete slabs and walls. 

Additional features include casting pit process piping work, air piping, gas piping, casting pit steam exhaust pits, and miscellaneous trenches. Multiple ledges, haunches, abutments, embedded steel items, and concrete elevation changes typical with equipment pits are also included.

The third project adds a 23,000 SF-aluminum billet cast house. This facility increases capacity at the foundry to supply the raw aluminum billets.

This project consists of a 45-foot deep casting pit, as well as a lube pit, pump pit, casting cart pit, steam exhaust pits. Foundations added includes the bases for an aluminum pre-heater, cooling tower and two for the tilting melting furnace. The casting pit construction requires shoring roughly 20 feet by 30 feet to a depth of 45 feet. 

At the same time a dewatering system is installed as the water table at the casting pit is at 21 feet below finish floor. At the completion of the dewatering system, the casting pit is built from the bottom up.