FORTESCUE Metals says its surface miners are performing in line with expectations despite asking a drilling contractor to provide drill-and-blast at its Pilbara mine sites.
Fortescue says the $300m contract with Ausdrill will simply deal with overburden removal at its Cloudbreak mine. The contractor will also carry out grade-control drilling as part of the agreement.
The mining company says the addition of drill-and-blast techniques to surface miners will boost production.
The deal has been described as the “largest drill-and-blast contract with more than 30 drill rigs in operation”.
The agreement will extend and expand existing work over the next five years.
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