YANDI MINE

Leighton Contractors in a joint venture with Macmahon Contractors has been awarded a contract valued at more than $500 million to develop BHP Billiton Iron Ore’s Rapid Growth Project 5 rail project (RGP5) in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. As part of the contract, BHP Billiton Iron Ore will supply an additional $150 million of materials to the project which the joint venture will handle as part of the works. The 50/50 joint venture will duplicate 220 km of the existing heavy haul rail line between Port Hedland and Shaw Siding along the existing BHP Billiton Iron Ore Newman/Yandi line, providing BHP Billiton Iron Ore with a mechanism to meet anticipated increasing overseas demand for iron ore. The project scope also includes the installation of 840 kilometres of fibre optic cable and the construction of 10 new dual track bridges, over 1,000 camp rooms (complete with kitchens, laundries, gymnasiums and a pool) and up to three fly camps. The joint venture is expected to employ more than 1,100 workers over the life of the project and will encourage a high level of indigenous participation.

BHP Billiton Ltd, the world's largest mining company, will restart iron ore production from its Yandi mine in Western Australia today after a worker's death halted operations.
(See Australian Associated Press: BHP to restart operations at Yandi iron ore mine after death )

Mining giant BHP Billiton Ltd has won draft approval from the competition watchdog for its iron ore joint venture with leading Japanese steel maker, JFE Steel Corporation, reports the Australian Associated Press. The deal will see JFE take a 20 per cent stake in the Western Four deposit at BHP Billiton's Yandi iron ore mine in Western Australia alongside the miner's existing joint venture partners ITOCHU Minerals & Energy of Australia and Mitsui Iron Ore Corporation.
(See Australian Associated Press: Australian competition commission approves BHP iron ore joint venture )