Steven Keyser
Executive General Manager
Leighton Contractors
APilbarajourney
Leighton’s new chapter in iron ore
Having worked in the industry for almost 30 years, and with
Leighton Contractors since 2002, Executive General Manager for
the mining division, Steven Keyser, understands the importance
of maintaining relevance, exuding resilience, and continuously
striving for excellence within a cyclical industry.
Mr Keyser said he has seen the company’s contract mining
model evolve over time, and is proud of his team’s enduring
and industry-leading reputation for innovative thinking, as
well as its diversity of capabilities that have become integral to
clients’ success.
He said in Western Australia, the company is particularly
proud of winning the Solomon Hub iron ore project with client
Fortescue Metals Group. The $2.8 billion agreement, formally
announced in June 2013, is the largest single contract award in
the history of Leighton Contractors.
It is a full service, five-year contract (with two-year extension
option) delivering whole-of-mine management, including
operating and maintaining the open-cut mining fleet, mine
planning, ore quality control, ore processing facilities, and
associated infrastructure, such as the airport and village.
Mr Keyser said “Bringing Solomon into our portfolio was a
journey that started with Fortescue in mid-2011 through the early
contractor involvement phase, and one that draws its foundations
from our long and proud history of mining iron ore in the Pilbara.
“
Our expertise, innovative solutions and focus on efficiencies
to reduce the cost structure for the client are the reasons why we
outpaced both our competitors and alternative operating models to
run this world-scale project.”
Mr Keyser said the mining division’s specialist engineering
team is also delivering an ‘early ore system’ for Fortescue, via a
mobile crushing network that uses in-house expertise and assets,
with support from a Leighton Contractors managed sub-contractor,
to produce 12 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of ore for railing
and shipping.
Leighton Contractors is also supporting commitments to
providing opportunities for Indigenous contractors and joint
ventures, and is well advanced in its plans to sub-contract more
than $100 million of work at Solomon to Indigenous organisations.
The company has already signed a three-year contract worth
more than $72 million with an Indigenous joint venture between
Train load out at Fortescue’s Solomon Hub
Minesite 2013
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