The following media release is issued today by Thiess; our subsidiary entity, of which we own 60%.
Global mining services provider Thiess has been awarded a CAD$205 million three-year, full-service mining contract by Vale Base Metals (Vale) for the Stobie Open Pit Mining Project, located in Greater Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. Stobie Property was last mined in 2017 and is ramping back up in response to the world’s increasing demand for critical minerals needed to transition to zero emissions.
Thiess will implement the latest technology to allow the effective extraction of minerals from lower-grade deposits, and will work collaboratively with the United Steelworkers L6500 and L2020, as well as local First Nations businesses, Z’gamok Construction LP (ZCLP) and Aki-eh Dibinwewziwin Limited Partnership (ADLP).
Thiess Executive Chair and CEO Michael Wright said: “We’re excited by this opportunity to bring our global technical expertise and engineering capability to a major Canadian mining operation for Vale.”
“Vale identified an opportunity to ensure meaningful Indigenous involvement on this project, while respecting obligations to the USW workforce, and managing the earth’s resources in a sustainable way – we're proud to work with a client who shares our commitment to sustainable mining practices, and working with others to move forward successfully, together.”
Thiess Group Executive Americas Darrell White added: “We look forward to continuing to partner with Vale, our Canadian First Nation partners, United Steelworkers L6500 and L2020, and the local community in Sudbury, while continuing to contribute to Canada’s nickel and copper industry to provide metals that are vital to North America’s transition to clean energy.”
Vale's head of Ontario operations Gord Gilpin said: “This is a first-of-its-kind contract for Vale, delivering on the company’s strategy to increase production from the first of a number of near-surface deposits, whilst importantly including participation and collaboration with Vale’s key partners in the First Nations and the USW Local 6500 and L2020”.
The Stobie Open Pit Mining Project will be delivered in a high-trust, collaborative model between all stakeholders, to ensure the project provides multi-generational, and both social and economic benefits for the local communities.