Thiess secures $120m GEMCO contract

Global mining services provider Thiess has secured a three-year, $120m contract with GEMCO, a manganese operation on Groote Eylandt, Northern Territory.

The contract, which has a potential two-year extension, includes a range of services critical to GEMCO’s manganese operation.

Thiess will supply, operate and maintain the equipment for the pre-strip mining operations, as well as undertaking the design and construction of support infrastructure which includes workshops and related mobile maintenance facilities.

Thiess executive chair and chief executive Michael Wright commented on the contract.

“This award demonstrates Thiess’ commitment to delivering sustainable mining solutions for our clients, strongly supporting the further development of the local community,” he said.

“For Thiess, the continued diversification into different commodities needed for the energy transition is a key part of our strategy, with manganese playing a crucial role in steel production and having the potential to replace cobalt cathodes in lithium0ion batteries.”

An open cut, strip-mining operation, the GEMCO mine is one of the largest manganese ore producers in the world.  In FY23, the operation produced 3545kwmt of manganese ore.

GEMCO is 60% owned by South32 and 40% owned by AngloAmerican.

Thiess group executive Australia West David Greig says the contract represents a significant milestone for the company as they re-enter the Northern Territory.

“This contract award is a testament to the collaborative efforts of our Australia East and West regional teams, showcasing the strength and synergy within Thiess,” he said.

The GEMCO contract follows the contract awarded to FleetCo earlier in the year, which included the provision and major servicing of excavators, trucks and ancillary equipment.