Mmegi

Aussie contractor leaves Khoemacau

Down below: Khoemacau is ramping up production on the Kalahari Copperbelt
Down below: Khoemacau is ramping up production on the Kalahari Copperbelt

Australian firm, Barminco, which has been providing mining services at Khoemacau since 2019, will exit the operation at the end of June, ending an 800 million Australian dollar (P7 billion) partnership.

Mark Norwell, the CEO of Perenti which majority owns Barminco, was quoted this week as saying the company’s returns from the Khoemacau contract were less than target. Norwell reportedly said Barminco must maintain its” commercial discipline to enable consistent returns through economic cycles”.

Barminco was initially awarded a five-year underground mining services contract Khoemacau in December 2019 at a value of 800 million dollars. Last year, the contract was temporarily extended to June 30, 2025 with about 240 million Australian dollars still left in value.

Editor's Comment
Warm relations must not come at the expense of fair trade

“I believe that free but fair trade isan absolute imperative”– John E. JamesFor two countries bound by geography, history and deep economic ties, periods of diplomatic strain serve neither side well. President Duma Boko’s efforts to restore momentum to relations with Pretoria deserve recognition, particularly at a time when Southern Africa faces shared challenges ranging from sluggish economic growth and unemployment to energy security...

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