Rio Tinto awards $64mn Koodaideri contract to NRW Holdings

Rio Tinto will begin pre-stripping activities at the Koodaideri iron ore mine in Western Australia’s Pilbara region after awarding a $64mn contract to NRW Holdings.

The project scope includes the development of initial mining pre-strip and earthworks infrastructure to enable the commencement of mining operations and will include: mobilisation and site establishment; clearing and stripping topsoil and subsoil, and drill and blast operations.

The work is expected to take approximately 78 weeks commencing in November 2019. At its peak NRW will manage over 150 site-based personnel required during the construction of access roads, haul roads and in pit facilities; bulk earthworks and drainage construction, and the construction of the Rom Pad and Skyway.

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NRW’s Chief Executive Officer Jules Pemberton commented: “This contract award highlights NRW’s strong reputation and capability across mining and construction projects. NRW looks forward to continuing our relationship with Rio Tinto and supporting their iron ore operations in the Pilbara.”

Koodaideri, 100%-owned by Rio Tinto, is located around 35 km northwest of Rio Tinto’s Yandicoogina mine site, and about 110 km from the town of Newman. The $2.6 billion mine was approved in November last year with construction commencing earlier this year. Production capacity of the mine will be 43 Mt annually and is expected to commence by the end of 2021. It will be the company’s first intelligent mine, using an increased level of automation and robotics.

NRW was founded in Kalgoorlie in 1994 and the name NRW was derived from an initial of each of the co–founders. NRW’s first projects were in Jandakot and at the Granny Smith Mine.