Workers queue as Rex Minerals plan Yorke Peninsula mine and opens Adelaide headquarters
CHRISTOPHER RUSSELL BUSINESS EDITOR • The Advertiser • February 04, 2014 6:41PM
WORKERS and companies are lining up to join the Hillside mine near Ardrossan, Rex Minerals managing director Mark Parry said yesterday.
Speaking at the opening of Rex Minerals head office in Adelaide, Mr Parry said Rex was close to gaining approvals for the copper-gold project and excitement was building.
"More than 1100 people have already expressed an interest in working for Rex," Mr Parry said. "Over 400 of those currently live on the Yorke Peninsula."
Interest from companies wanting to win work was also growing. Rex has had to hire a bigger venue for a supplier information day because 80 rather than an expected 40 companies want to be there.
"Most of those are based in SA," Mr Parry said.
Rex, formerly headquartered in Ballarat, now has 20 people in the Waymouth St office and will double this to 40 plus visiting consultants.
At the mine, there will be 700 jobs in construction and 600 ongoing operational roles.
Rex "didn't want a Taj Mahal" but it did want an office with sufficient presence to impress visitors from overseas who may invest or sign offtake agreements, Mr Parry said.
"Rex is in the final stages of what will hopefully be a critical year to get Hillside not only through the regulatory process but also funded," he said.
"It's a project that will run for 15 plus years."
Rex expects to generate revenue of about $11 billion in its first ten years of operation. It would pay more than $400 million in state royalties and $900 million in taxes.
Premier Jay Weatherill said the economic benefit would be welcomed, especially in a regional centre.
"It will allow us to attract and retain high quality workers," he said. "This will be a deeply attractive workplace for many South Australians who have gained their skills and capabilities but had to apply them elsewhere around the nation or the world."
Mr Weatherill added that having Rex's head office in Adelaide was good for the city.
"This will be a substantial presence which adds another dimension to our city," he said.
Mr Parry said the mine also would underpin improvements in roads, port, water, electricity and telecommunications.
Rex aims to complete this week its responses to public submissions on the project.
In an unusual move, the response document will be open to the public via the DMITRE website and sent to interested parties before a mining lease is granted.
Mr Weatherill praised Rex for its commitment to consultation with the local community, including landholders and traditional owner groups. "This has been one of the great distinguishing features of the SA mining industry has gone about its work," he said.
A mining lease may be approved before the caretaker period prior to the election.
Opposition mineral resources spokesman Martin Hamilton-Smith said the Liberal Party supported the project in principle and would honour any approvals.
"Our first priority is to protect the environment but as long as the controls are first-class we look forward to the billion dollars of investment which stand to benefit the people of Yorke Peninsula," he said.
SA Chamber of Mines and Energy chief executive Jason Kuchel was pleased to see progress from a smaller company because collectively the juniors offered enormous potential to SA.
(20min delay)