More than 6,000 mining construction workers along with 4,000 ongoing mining jobs and an estimated 15,000 indirect jobs are expected to be generated at BHP Billiton`s expansion at S.A.`s Olympic Dam mine site.
Plans call for building a new town (to accommodate mine workers), an airport, gas-fired power station, and construction of 105 kilometres of new railway track, electricity transmission lines, water pipelines and a desalination plant.�
Dump trucks arrive to start work
New Caterpillar haul trucks from the US have arrived in Adelaide and will be used to remove the deep rock overburden above the ore body in its planned open pit mine. Among the 1400 tonnes of mining equipment are four CAT 793F haul trucks, one D11T bulldozer-tractor and three other mining trucks which will be transported to Whyalla for assembly. They are the first consignment of what will be the world`s biggest single order for mining vehicles.
$900 million payout to indigenous stakeholders
Although the terms are confidential, mining industry sources believe the Olympic Dam indigenous land use agreement would mean that native title owners (who represent some 6000 people in three groups), would stand to share more than $900 million over 30 years, should the expansion proceed as planned.
BHP Billiton moves to protect exploration potential
BHP Billiton has also moved to protect the exploration potential of areas close to the Olympic Dam site by securing a prime package of tenements from a number of exploration companies.
