The 6th para. says it all! It gives small co's. hope for the future!!!
Murchison confident it can deliver in Mid-West filed under: Infrastructure by Peter Wilson created Nov 10, 2010 03:19 PM
Murchison Metals has rejected Western Australian premier Colin Barnett's call to separate ownership of the $4bn Oakajee Port and Rail project from its Jack Hills iron ore development.
Jack Hills will be the largest of the initial three exporters using the planned deepwater port and railway.
The company on Tuesday reaffirmed its commitment to the projects in the state's Mid-West and said it was not considering any "fundamental changes" to the joint venture agreements with Mitsubishi Development.
Barnett questioned the set-up when Murchison said last week it was delaying the timetable to complete critical design and feasibility studies by six months, ruling out any iron ore shipments from the region's mines through Oakajee until 2015.
Chinese whispers have dogged the Japanese-backed set-up that now needs state approval for the extension of time.
Murchison said it was confident that the Mid-West infrastructure assets would be delivered within the revised schedule timetable and "in a manner that will benefit all miners and others stakeholders throughout the region".
Its Jack Hills project had a vital role it was the biggest initial customer and was fundamental to the viability of the infrastructure business, the company said.
Earlier, Oakajee chief executive John Langoulant, a former state under treasurer, said a six-month extension in a project of its scale and with a projected 50-year life was minor.
It was complex and difficult to coordinate as it involved the construction of a deepwater port, an industrial estate, 570 km of new heavy railway and three new mines with differing circumstances to consider.
Murchison confident it can deliver in Mid-West
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