Mining giant pens largest-ever contract with SA First Nations business
One of the companies dominating mining in the state’s Far North has signed a new deal worth tens of millions of dollars.
Global mining giant BHP today announced at a mining conference in Port Augusta that the company has signed a new partnership with Indigenous-owned AMY Nominees worth $60 million – the mining giant’s largest-ever standalone contract with a Traditional Owner business in SA history.
The contract will see AMY Nominees provide labour and management for core mining services at BHP’s Prominent Hill copper mine, a site BHP purchased from Oz Minerals in 2023 as part of a nearly $10 billion deal.
AMY Nominees is a subsidiary of the Antakirinja Matu-Yankunytjatjara Aboriginal Corporation (AMYAC), who are the Traditional Owners of the land on which Prominent Hill is located.
The deal was announced this morning at the Tactic Conference and Trade Expo in Port Augusta by BHP general manager engineering, infrastructure and services Copper SA Jess Balasso.
She said the outcome had been “years in the making”.
“Through training, experience and partnership, AMY Nominees has built the capability to take on increasingly complex work,” Balasso said in her speech.
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“It is a strong example of what can be achieved when industry and local businesses work together with a shared vision.
“It will help unlock meaningful employment, support skills development and create pathways for future generations to participate in the mining sector.”
AMY Nominees general manager operations Lee Emmett said the contract was a “positive outcome” for the AMYAC.
“From the first constructive site visit with BHP in March 2024, we have worked closely with our partners to develop our team and improve our operational capacity to enable us to secure the ROM contract in July 2026,” Emmett said.
“We look forward to working closely with BHP for many years to come, providing positive outcomes for the AMYAC community.”
In her speech, Balasso also outlined the opportunity for South Australia through BHP’s growing copper business in the state.
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BHP is operating three major copper mines in the state’s Far North, including the massive Olympic Dam, which recently achieved its highest-ever copper production.
In February, the company announced that for the first time in BHP history, more than half of its earnings came from copper – including from Copper SA.
Balasso said BHP had more than $2 billion in major project developments underway to expand Copper SA, including studies for a new smelter.
The new smelter was expected to lift copper output in SA from 320,000 tonnes per annum to potentially up to 650,000 tonnes through the 2030s.
But the smelter upgrade requires water, and the company was now in deep negotiations with the state government over a proposed $5 billion Northern Water desalination plant.
In December last year, the location of the mega project was selected by the state government south of Whyalla.
BHP has previously pulled out of promised expansions of its Olympic Dam mine, notably in 2020 when it dumped a $3.5 billion plan that might have increased copper production by 150,000 tonnes.
Balasso also said the company was expanding its third village near Olympic Dam, while Olympic Dam South Village was being fitted out with with more than 1000 new rooms along with kitchens, dining , laundries and recreation areas.
This was expected to help serviced BHP’s more than 8000 South Australian workers.
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