Consulting engineer TWP Mining & Infrastruc-ture, a division of TWP Projects, received the award for Best EPCM Contractor at platinum-group metals producer Lonmin’s first yearly mining projects safety function, held near Rustenburg, in November.

Although TWP Process, also part of the TWP Holdings group, has enjoyed a long-standing relationship with Lonmin, the mining company is a relatively new client for the TWP Mining division, which has been working on Lonmin’s Saffy shaft development at its Marikana mine, in the Bushveld Complex, since 2007 to date.

TWP’s Murray Macnab says: “To be recognised in this manner among the other engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) consultants working at Lonmin is a major achievement for us and a welcome recognition of our efforts in the area of safety. “Safety is our top priority and requires constant innovation and effort to change behaviour and raise awareness.

“Working with Lonmin has been a great experience, as both companies jointly contribute to the design of safety systems and to their implementation as a true team. “This is seldom experienced when one has a ‘master and slave’ contractual arrangement and this extremely enlightened approach on Lonmin’s part has shown that team effort, where all parties are treated as equals, allows for the sum of the best of every member to exceed the sum of the whole.

“This is the first annual awards event of this kind held by Lonmin and we look forward to the year ahead, as we continue to improve and strive for even better achievements in 2010.”

The award was presented to TWP Mining by Lonmin executive manager for major projects Charl Klopper.