Markets
Minerals & Metals

Optimizing minerals and metals processing for efficient, scalable, and smart facilities
Salas O’Brien specializes in delivering innovative and sustainable solutions for the mineral and metal industries. Our multidisciplinary team excels in developing efficient, reliable, and cost-effective designs for material handling, grinding, pyroprocessing, and storage. Known for “Best in Class” status in servicing cement and lime producers throughout North America, our proprietary SMACC™ (Safety, Maintenance, Access, Constructability & Coordination) review process ensures every project is robust and oriented towards seamless plant operations and maintenance. Explore how we can help solve complex challenges and yield increased efficiencies and cost-saving solutions.
Minerals & Metals Projects
What we can offer
Salas O’Brien provides a wide variety of engineering and technical services to meet the demands of this high-performance sector.
Digital & automation
Salas O’Brien is revolutionizing manufacturing operations, helping them unlock their full potential in an ever-evolving digital landscape. With our cutting-edge technologies and expertise in automation, we empower industrial manufacturers to thrive in the digital age. We understand the unique challenges and complexities of the manufacturing industry and provide tailored solutions that streamline processes, boost efficiency, and drive sustainable growth.
Facility design, operations & maintenance
Salas O’Brien full-service architectural, engineering, and design services to deliver complete facilities design. We provide experienced leadership in guiding the client and multidisciplinary engineering teams through the project process. Our experience in a wide array of industries strengthens our inter-disciplinary coordination capabilities and cross cultivates our conceptual planning and solutions. We allow you to evaluate both the “best” and value-based solutions through many varied and complex design issues, concluding with a unified and approved facilities design.
Salas O’Brien optimizes your operational procedures to maximize output and efficiency while implementing maintenance strategies that preempt issues and minimize downtime. Our team of experts brings a wealth of experience and a deep understanding of the nuances of process systems, so that every aspect of your operations is managed with precision and foresight. From routine maintenance to emergency response planning, our comprehensive O&M services are tailored to meet the unique demands of your processes, ensuring seamless functionality and longevity.
Industrial construction management
Salas O’Brien offers a variety of scalable contracting and execution models to deliver the best value strategy for your manufacturing project’s success. We provide a nimble construction management professional team that makes your project their passion. We build our strategy around your business objectives and provide you with key information, at the right time, to make informed decisions. Our industrial–based construction managers, procurement professionals, and industrial safety experts understand the requirements of highly regulated industries.
Mechanical, electrical, plumbing & fire protection
Salas O’Brien provides full-service mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection design (MEP/FP), providing customized solutions for buildings and facilities of all types and sizes, with a focus on energy efficiency and sustainability.
Occupational safety services
Salas O’Brien provides occupational safety services to protect employees from workplace hazards, guided by our certified safety professional (CSP). We conduct engineering analyses to identify safety risks in industrial processes and recommend mitigations to meet client and regulatory standards.
Packaging systems
Process engineering & design
Salas O’Brien engineers value for industrial processes. We are problem solvers, who care about improving your operations, keeping you current with industry trends and regulations, and consistently delivering the quality solutions you’ve come to know and expect.
We use proven methods to execute our projects, while maintaining flexibility and adapting to our clients’ needs and preferences. We work hand-in-hand with our clients to understand their project goals, as we know each project has different parameters defining success.
Structural
Salas O’Brien’s structural engineering team delivers innovative, cost-effective facility planning and design solutions to our clients. We develop customized structural engineering systems to meet planning and design requirements for new facilities, renovations, and expansions. Our team produces thorough, well-coordinated construction documents and provides excellent service throughout the life of your project.
Validation & commissioning
Salas O’Brien specializes in delivering comprehensive validation and commissioning services that ensure your systems and processes meet all necessary standards and perform optimally. We offer a comprehensive suite of services including:
- Gap analysis
- Risk & impact assessment
- Validation Master Plans (VMP)
- Design Qualifications (DQ)
- GAMP Specifications (URS/FS/DS)
- Qualification Protocols (IQ/OQ/PQ/CV)
- Commissioning Plans (CP)
Decarbonization & sustainability
Salas O’Brien’s breadth of expertise forms a 360-degree perspective on eliminating carbon, from renewable supply through sustainable use. We support long-term capital decisions with energy modeling and lifecycle cost analysis of resilient, flexible, high-performing systems that reduce operating costs and enhance the end user experience.
Forensic consulting services
Salas O’Brien performs investigation and analysis of failures, damages, or defects in structures and materials. Our experts determine causation, whether due to natural events like storms, fires, and earthquakes, or human factors such as construction errors or design flaws. We assess the integrity of buildings and other structures, machinery, building systems, and infrastructure, providing detailed reports that are often used in insurance claims, legal disputes, and risk management. Our work helps clients understand the root causes and guides them in making informed decisions about repairs, replacements, and preventive measures.