NRW secures $123m mining contract for Roper Bar Iron Ore Project in NT

NRW Holdings has announced that it has been awarded a mining contract for Nathan River Resources’ Roper Bar Iron Ore Project in the Northern Territory. 

NRW’s $123 million 33-month contract will cover Stage 1 mining operations at Roper Bar, with a production rate of approximately 4.6 million tonnes of Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) as well as 1.0 million tonnes of Dense Media Separation (DMS) production at 1.5 to 1.8 Mtpa over three years. 

Scope of works will include drill and blast, load and haul, clearing and grubbing, top-soil and subsoil removal and rehandling of ore stockpiles. 

NRW is estimating to have about 55 site-based personnel at peak operations. 

“NRW is pleased to be involved in the recommencement of the Nathan River Minesite and looks forward to its successful execution,” NRW Holdings CEO and Managing Director Jules Pemberton said. 

The Roper Bar Iron Ore Project is comprised of a fully integrated ‘pit-to-port' logistics chain including a privately-owned 171-kilometre paved access road leading to an existing barge load-out facility and product stockyard. 

The project was commissioned back in October 2020 and the first export of DSO in November that same year. 

Production ramp-up at the mine is nearing completion, with four vessels already completed. 

In addition, an off-take agreement exists between Nathan River Resources and Glencore for the marketing and distribution of iron ore from the Roper Bar Iron Ore Project. 

Source: NRW Holdings; Australian Mining; International Mining; NS Energy Business; Mining Technology