Underground mining contractor Barminco has been awarded a three-year extension to its long running contract at Western Areas’ Forrestania nickel operations in Western Australia.
The $236 million contract extension covers mining services and diamond drilling at the Flying Fox and Spotted Quoll underground mines.
The extension sees Barminco go past 15 years of continuous service at Flying Fox, having commenced operations at the mine in March 2005. Barminco has also worked as the Spotted Quoll mining contractor for more than five years, having started when the underground mine first opened in May 2011.
Barminco chief executive officer Peter Stokes said he was pleased to again extend the enduring Western Areas and Barminco relationship.
“Western Areas and Barminco have a joint stable and successful history at the Flying Fox and Spotted Quoll operations, and it is a pleasure to be able to again extend this contract on the back of the hard work, persistence and commitment to operational improvements our team has delivered,” Stokes said.
“We look forward to continuing to support Western Areas in delivering consistent and reliable production metrics, and maintaining an outstanding safety record at both sites.”
Safety has always been a primary focus for Western Areas at Forrestania, and was a key factor in Barminco being awarded the contract extension.
The operations have achieved a 76 per cent reduction in total recordable injury frequency rate over the last three years.
Furthermore, the two companies have worked together closely and implemented several mutually beneficial productivity improvements which will continue into the new contract.