Global diversified engineering services and project management group, Ausenco Limited (AAX) was today awarded a $9.6 million Engineering, Procurement and Construction Management (EPCM) contract for the magnetite extraction plant at Xstrata Copper’s Ernest Henry Mining (EHM) operation located near Cloncurry in north west Queensland. The plant forms part of the Xstrata Copper’s $589 million development of the EHM underground mine and magnetite processing operations announced by the company late last year. Construction of the magnetite plant will be undertaken during 2010 with commissioning expected in early 2011.
Ausenco CEO Zimi Meka said “The company is pleased with the contract win, which strengthens the relationship Ausenco had built with Xstrata over many years. “We have enjoyed a longstanding relationship with Xstrata starting with the Copper Concentrator Expansion project at Mt Isa in 2002, and we are very pleased to be working with them once again. “As a global provider of engineering and project management services to the resources and energy industries based in Queensland, we are proud to be part of an important project for the local resource sector and also to contribute to the development of the local economy,” he said.
EHM currently has an annual production capacity of 90,000 metric tonnes of copper in concentrate and 110,000 ounces of gold in concentrate. The magnetite processing operation will produce approximately 1.2 million tonnes of magnetite per annum. Ausenco sets high global standards for leading edge engineering and project management services in the resources and energy sectors.
