Mineral Resources (MinRes) has awarded a five-year contract to Indigenous-owned business Buru Rehab for road maintenance and civil works at its Wodgina lithium mine site in the Pilbara.
Buru Rehab is a majority Indigenous owned Kariyarra company which provides professional mine rehabilitation and earthwork services. The contract is for road maintenance, dust mitigation, civil earthworks, load and haul, rehabilitation and general site maintenance.
Buru is named after the local Kariyarra name for spinifex, with Buru Rehab owner George Todd a Traditional Owner of the country Wodgina is located within.
George said it’s a dream to run a business managed and operated by Indigenous people for the long term benefit of local Kariyarra Indigenous people.
“Employing Indigenous people to work on mine sites and be proactively engaged in rehabilitation of country, enables quality outcomes for our people and our Country,” George said.
“Along with civil works, Buru Rehab will undertake rehabilitation for MinRes’ exploration and mining activities, restoring the land and supporting it for future uses.”
The MinRes contract will see Buru Rehab employ an additional 12 people, bolstering a workforce that is more than 65% Indigenous.
Buru Rehab is also committed to offering traineeships for local Indigenous people, with a traineeship program that is designed to support each individual and provide them with an introduction to mining, while providing flexible working conditions which support individual commitment to culture and family.
MinRes General Manager Communities and Heritage Heath Nelson said the contract would also provide subcontracting opportunities for other Indigenous owned businesses.
“We’re pleased that Buru Rehab is providing subcontracting opportunities for other Indigenous owned businesses, giving them security to invest in their own machinery and equipment,” Heath said.
“This contract will have positive flow-on effects for years to come, offering ongoing employment opportunities for people living in the Pilbara.”
The Wodgina mine site is located 110km south of Port Hedland and is one of the largest known hard rock lithium deposits in the world.
More information on the ways MinRes is supporting Indigenous businesses is available in our 2023 Sustainability Report.
