NRW officials said the 11-month contract will commence in April, and includes earthworks and drainage. At the peak of the works more than 175 staffers will be needed to work on the project.
The massive Koodaideri operation, located near Rio Tinto’s Yandicoogina mine in the eastern Pilbara, has an orebody more than 20km long and 3km wide and has a reserve of 598 million tonnes at 61.9% iron.
Rio has called Koodaideri its first ‘intelligent’ mine; its design includes plans for digitalisation and automation including autonomous trains and trucks and systems to interconnect the elements of the mine’s value chain. It is targeting 2021 to take first tonnes from the open-cut mine.