Junior salt and sulfate of potash (SOP) producer BCI Minerals Ltd., Perth, on Dec. 22 announced the award of the marine structures contract for the Mardie Salt & Potash Project to McConnell Dowell Constructors (Aust) Pty Ltd., Hawthorn, Victoria.
BCI said the A$190 million marine structures package is the largest direct capital works contract for the project and is within the Optimized Feasibility Study estimates. It includes design, supply, fabrication, construction, installation, testing, and commissioning of marine facilities.
Jetty construction is slated to commence in fourth-quarter 2022 and the company said it represents a critical schedule item to achieving first salt on ship in fourth-quarter 2024.
In October, BCI said it had raised A$740 million of project finance debt for the project (GM Oct. 22, p. 34). Total funding of approximately $1.2 billion is required to develop the project to a capacity of 5.35 million mt/y of salt and 140,000 mt/y of SOP.