Mining contractor Thiess has been awarded a $160-million contract from diversified miner BHP Billiton’s Nickel West division, to undertake operations at the Rocky’s Reward nickel mine, in Western Australia.

Thiess would provide turnkey mining services, including mine planning, explosives, drill and blast services, overburden and ore mining, and overarching technical support at the openpit mine over the contract’s 30-month life.

Work at the brownfield operation was expected to start this month.

Thiess owner CIMIC Group’s executive chairperson and CEO Marcelino Fernandez Verdes said that following on from the contractor’s recent entry into the Chilean copper market, the Rocky’s Reward contract provided further diversification in terms of commodity and geography.

• [Editor:Juan]