The Prospect Awards recognise and reward excellence and innovation across the mining sector, and are the most esteemed and prestigious awards program in the industry in Australia.
Hancock and Mrs Rinehart had an incredible evening across two separate awards nights, with Mrs Rinehart named Business Leader of the Year at the AIM WA Pinnacle Awards, while Atlas Iron won two separate awards and Roy Hill a further award at the Australian Mining Prospect awards.
Huge congratulations to Mrs Rinehart, Roy Hill and Atlas on their incredible achievements.
Atlas Iron was recognised at the Australian Mining Prospect Awards this evening in Perth.
Indigenous and Community Engagement Award
Atlas won the Indigenous and Community Engagement Award for it’s awarding it’s joint venture mining contract for the Miralga mine to East West Pilbara (EWP) and Ozland in August 2021. EWP is an Indigenous business owned by the Nyamal Traditional Owner group, the native title holders of the area encompassing the Miralga mine tenement. This collaboration is believed to be the first in the Pilbara.
Traditionally the mining industry has only awarded small and limited contracts to Indigenous groups. Despite the intent, complex regulatory and compliance requirements make the administration and paperwork appear impossible for all but the largest, international service providers. Many mining companies have not ever directly worked with Indigenous owned businesses and normally prefer a larger company to sub-contract a small piece of work.
Mining companies usually state lack of capability of Indigenous companies as the reason for not awarding tier one contracts. Atlas was determined to drive leadership in this area and enable Indigenous groups to be able to tender for tier one contracts. Atlas CEO Sanjiv Manchanda instructed his staff to find a way for a different arrangement and to make it possible.
The contract with EWP provides benefits to the Traditional Owner Community on the lands where the mine is located, in employment and positive economic outcomes for future generations of Indigenous people and Atlas to develop and operate the drill, blast, load and haul operations for an iron ore mine in their portfolio. The ‘first ore’ was celebrated with the Traditional Owners in February 2022.
EWP executives view this venture as an important and valued inaugural stepping stone to other corporate ventures. The expected increase in the overall size of the organisation, with new projects, could see the EWP contract increase and the total percentage of Indigenous Australians in the workforce grow significantly. This contract has created prospects for other mining companies and other Traditional Owner groups to explore opportunities such as these, which will set up future generations with employment and economic stability.
Project Lead of the Year Award
Atlas Iron’s General Manager – Projects, Stacey Brown, was recognised with the Project Lead of the Year Award for the Sanjiv Ridge and Miralga hematite iron ore mines, two mines that celebrated first ore at the height of the Covid pandemic on time and on budget.
Sanjiv Ridge (formerly Corunna Downs) is situated approximately 240 km from the Utah Point stockyard at Port Hedland. This operation is a multi-pit blending operation with mining currently underway with production of approximately 5mtpa. First ore was delivered to port February 2021.
Miralga mine is an extension of the completed Abydos Mine and is situated approximately 100 km from the Utah Point stockyard at Port Hedland. Production at Miralga will be 1.9mtpa, and first ore was delivered to port in February 2022.
The Miralga mine is also noteworthy as it involved a significant contract with an Indigenous business, East West Pilbara, owned by the Nyamal Traditional Owner group, the native title holders of the area encompassing the Miralga mine tenement.
The EWP/Ozland mining contract was unique as it was a major mining contract, rather than provision of a particular narrow service or activity. This creates employment and valued economic outcomes for future generations of Indigenous people to develop and operate the drill, blast, load and haul operations for an iron ore mine, and learn important skills in mine planning and operation.
Huge congratulations to Stacey!
