Coal news and updates

Thiess win massive Curragh coal contract expansion

Thiess has won a $570 million extension to its contract at the Curragh North coal mine.

This extension comes on top of a ten year work agreement signed in 2010, and sees Thiess continue its overburden removal and coal mining activities on the site.

The owner of Curragh, Wesfarmers Resources managing director Stewart Butel said Thiess was awarded the extension in this currently challenging environment due to its focus on efficiency.

"Thiess has worked collaboratively with us to review areas of efficiency and agree on a strategy that will ensure Curragh maintains its position as a cost-competitive operations," Butel said.

The new contract announcement was welcomed by Thiess head Bruce Munro.

"We have worked closely with Wesfarmers Resources since 2004 at the Curragh North operation and this contract extension will deliver greater value in challenging times to benefit the mine and our stakeholders," Munro said.

This contract extension is the second the company has won in the space of a month, following its $550 million expansion contract at the Lake Vermont coal mine, near Dysart.

At Curragh Wesfarmers will continue to provide dragline operations and drill and blast with no change to the Ultra Class fleet provided by Thiess under the initial decade long contract.

Source: www.miningaustralia.com.au