Australia's Purpose-Built Mine Site Accommodation Projects to Cost More Than $3 Billion

Researched by Industrial Info Resources Australia (Perth, Australia)--Purpose-built mine site accommodation projects are an area of exponential growth in Australia, especially in the remote, industry-intensive areas in Western Australia and Queensland.

Industrial Info is tracking 93 accommodation camp projects in Oceania, including 91 accommodation camp projects in Australia, totaling an investment value of more than $3.664 billion.

Within Australia, 29 projects, which are worth $1.47 billion, are in Queensland, and 38, which are worth $1.55 billion, are in Western Australia. South Australia has the third-largest number of accommodation camp projects, with nine camps planned totaling more than $384 million in investment value.

The largest project in dollar value is the Extension Hill accommodation camp that is planned at an aboveground iron ore mine site 20 kilometers west of Mount Gibson, Western Australia. Extension Hill Pty Limited (Perth, Australia) works with Construction Industries Australia Limited (Perth, Australia) to develop the $258 million camp as part of the larger Extension Hill iron ore project. Developers will construct a 2,500-man permanent accommodation camp, consisting predominantly of standard single rooms, a warehouse, canteen, kitchen facility, mess hall, recreation, first aid, administration offices, and ablution and laundry facilities.

Waratah Coal Incorporated (ASX:WGO) (Brisbane, Australia) is a privately owned Australian coal exploration and coal development company, and there is currently progress with plans to construct three major accommodation camp projects in Queensland, which are in varying stages of development and represent a total cost of $467 million. The accommodation camps are all part of larger coal mine and preparation plant projects, and range in size of housing 300 men to 2,500 men.

Flinders Mines Limited (Rundle Mall, Australia) and Worley Parsons Limited (Perth, Australia) are continuing with permitting for an accommodation camp at their Flinders Mines Pilbara (also known as Blacksmith) aboveground iron ore project, 70 kilometers northwest of Tom Price, Western Australia. As part of a larger iron ore project, developers will construct temporary accommodation facilities for up to 1,500 men and a permanent site accommodation for up to 1,200 men, at a total cost of about $124 million. Flinders Mines will select a major engineering, procurement and construction firm by May 2013. Construction is scheduled for September 2013, and project completion is expected in March 2014.

Major mining company Rio Tinto Iron Ore (ASX:RIO) (Perth, Australia) invested $155 million in an accommodation camp at their Koodaideri aboveground iron ore mine. The project is being developed on site 115 kilometers northwest of Newman in Western Australia, and it will involve construction of a 2,000-man accommodation camp. Multiple smaller construction camps will be built to service the construction of the new rail line. Rio Tinto expects to award the major engineering, procurement and construction contract by July 2013. Project completion is scheduled for June 2014.

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