JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – The West African gold industry continues to provide strong growth opportunities for Australia’s mining services company Ausdrill, with the company’s wholly owned subsidiary appointed as preferred contractor by private explorer and developer Toro Gold.
Ausdrill said on Friday that African Mining Services (AMS) expected to enter into a contract with Toro subsidiary Petowal Mining, which would generate about A$300-million over 75 months.
The company would provide openpit mining services at the Mako project, in Senegal, with mining expected to start in January.
AMS would need about 350 personnel for the contract and Ausdrill said that more than 90% of the staff complement would be local employees.
The contract would require capital expenditure of about A$25-million for the acquisition of new equipment. Some of the equipment required to perform the drilling, blasting, load and haul, and crusher feed services would be sourced from within the group.
Ausdrill MD Ron Sayers said the appointment of a preferred contractor for the Mako project would expand AMS’s West African operations.