Iron Mine Contracting is cementing its position as a key player in Western Australia’s lithium build-out after winning a 39-month mining services contract with Covalent Lithium at the Mt Holland project.
The award strengthens the contractor’s pivot into battery minerals, marking its second large-scale lithium mine after joining Liontown Resources’ Kathleen Valley development in 2022. The company now has ten active projects across WA and an order book exceeding $1 billion.
Under the new contract, Iron Mine Contracting will deliver drill, blast, load and haul, and ROM management services at Mt Holland, located near Southern Cross in the Goldfields. Covalent operates the Mt Holland mine and concentrator and is commissioning its Kwinana refinery.
Work begins in February 2026 and will require the mobilisation of equipment and 220 employees to support Covalent’s production ramp-up.
Iron Mine Contracting chief executive officer Clinton Keenan said the company is extremely pleased to commence the contract at Mt Holland as Covalent seeks to ramp up lithium production.
“Integrity in everything we do is our key, and ensuring the integrity of mining our client’s orebody is what we achieve,” he said.
“The competitiveness of our company’s owned asset strategy is increasingly being valued by mining companies, and that is evident in this award from Covalent.
“As a privately owned contractor, we are investing in people and equipment ahead of the curve, maintaining an agility to deliver what our mining clients require.”
Iron Mine Contracting also services Rio Tinto, Fortescue, Northern Star, Gold Fields and Meeka Metals.
“We always aim to be a solutions-focused contractor,” Keenan said. “When confronted by a challenge, our first inclination is to respond with action, not a request for variation.”