This is the sort of thing which goes on - shortcuts, poor workmanship, poor quality.
In the news yesterday, Western Australia.....
Orica blasts faulty Chinese welding after Yara shutdown
Yara’s billion dollar-plus Pilbara explosives plant was shut down after a “terminal cancer of leaks” caused by faulty welding done in China, according to part-owner Orica.
But Orica chief executive Alberto Calderon is optimistic the plant, expected to restart in the first half of 2020, will serve the Pilbara for decades with wireless detonator technology allowing the automation of drilling and blasting.
Mr Calderon said the 330,000 tonnes-a-year plant, which began operating in 2016, made quality technical ammonium nitrate “but after producing about 70,000 tonnes the leaks became unsustainable”.
Speaking after the release of Orica’s half-year results yesterday, he said Norwegian partner Yara, in charge of building and operating the plant, did not sufficiently manage the quality of work done in China.
The ex-BHP executive said components that operated at very high temperatures, including the heat exchangers, “become absolutely useless” as they “suffered this terminal cancer of leaks”.
Mr Calderon said the replacement components were being built in France, Germany and Italy.
Orica marked down the value of its 45 per cent share of the plant by $155 million last month, indicating a total direct cost of the defective equipment of about $340 million.
In 2012 the plant was expected to cost $US800 million and start production in 2015. The delay was “costing us millions of dollars every month”, he said.
https://thewest.com.au/business/min...se-welding-after-yara-shutdown-ng-b881193628z