So the presumption is the Early Contract agreement is for...

So the presumption is the Early Contract agreement  is for Kooaideri ?
This would make  sense of the theory that Ric Buratto and his team have been working on ‘pre’ early development there and it’s now got to the stage where it needs to be formalised ?

All I could find regarding timeline was this  :...



“Rio Tinto (RIO), through its wholly subsidiary Hamersley Iron Pty Ltd, is planning to build a Koodaideri Iron Ore Mine project in Pilbara, Western Australia, Australia.

The project involves the development of a mine which is expected to produce 40 million tonnes of ore a year. The mine can be later expanded to 70 million tonnes capacity.

It includes the construction of a 167km railway line, new roads, power sources, water infrastructure facilities and a camp to accommodate 2,000 people.

Olk + Associates has been appointed as the design consultant; and Scope Australia as the consultant for the accommodation camp.

In May 2012, RIO submitted environmental approval document to environmental protection authority.

In July 2013, Calibre Group Ltd was awarded the definitive engineering study (DES) contract.

R M Pinder Pty Ltd has been appointed as the project manager.

In November 2014, RIO received conditional environmental approval from Western Australias environmental authority.

In November 2016, RIO revealed a pre-feasibility study outlining a 40 million tonnes per year concept, including a 170km rail link.

Rio investing US$23 million to complete the project feasibility study for the proposed project.

On August 28, 2017, WorleyParsons has been appointed as the engineering consultant to support the feasibility study.

Feasibility study activities are underway. Construction activities are scheduled to commence in 2019 and slated for completion by 2021.

Scope


The project involves the development of a mine, which is expected to produce 40 million tonnes of ore a year in Western Australia, Australia.

The US$2,200 million project includes the following:

1. Construction of a 167km railway line

2. Construction of new roads

3. Construction of water infrastructure facilities

4. Construction of a camp to accommodate 2,000 people”

http://www.jsbmarketresearch.com/co...development-western-australia-project-profile


Possibly 600 of the staff will be operating the driverless trucks and trains ..although I may have  read operators are actually stationed in Perth.
(It’s not relevant to NRW directly but @pbawley here’s some genuine reality tv as I know you have an interest
It’s a short video news clip from a month back “ Australian first, WA schools and TAFEs will offer automation courses in operating driverless trucks and trains”
Rio is keen ...will contribute up to $2 million dollars to fund the classes.
https://thewest.com.au/news/pilbara-news/call-to-base-automated-jobs-in-the-pilbara-ng-b88771290z)

Another (older) link re  driverless machinery https://www.economist.com/news/busi...g-over-priced-acquisitions-rio-tinto-puts-its
.... but that side of things obviously has nought to do with  NRW contracts...
Cheers