Image: Rio Tinto
Rio Tinto has handed Mondium a major $400 million design and construction contract for the Western Turner Syncline phase two (WTS2) mine in Western Australia.
Mondium, which is a joint venture between Monadelphous and Lycopodium, will complete all engineering, design, procurement and site construction at the Pilbara site.
Works will include designing and constructing the process plant, overland conveyor and other non-process infrastructure.
The work will start in the first quarter of this year and is expected to create 450 jobs. Rio Tinto and Mondium intend to work closely to ensure the project boosts local and indigenous employment in the region.
Mondium’s design and construction works at WTS2 are expected to complete in 2021.
Rio Tinto iron ore chief executive Chris Salisbury said the company was pleased to contract Mondium, which shares Rio Tinto’s values of creating local and indigenous employment opportunities.
“We’re committed to supporting Western Australian businesses, buying locally and supporting our communities through the creation of jobs,” Salisbury said.
“We’re continuing to invest in Western Australia and have a number of development projects in the pipeline that will continue to provide opportunities for local companies.”
Mondium managing director Andrew Carnie said this contract was a major strategic milestone for the company’s growth strategy.
“We are thrilled to be making great strides in our growth strategy and to have secured this significant contract with Rio Tinto,” Carnie said.
“Mondium has been worked hard to execute projects successfully and prove our capability.”
The WTS2 project is part of Rio Tinto’s Greater Tom Price operations, which had a $1 billion investment approved in November last year.
This investment will facilitate mining of existing and new deposits, and construction of a new crusher and a 13-kilometre conveyor.
