Thiess Indonesia, a subsidiary of Thiess Pty Ltd, has been awarded a US$26 million contract for the site preparation and early construction works package for the development of the Martabe Project, in North Sumatra.

The contract was awarded by PT Agincourt Resources, a subsidiary of OZ Minerals (the recently merged Oxiana and Zinifex) and will be OZ Minerals first mine in Indonesia. Thiess Indonesia will complete the first phase of site preparation and construction works.

President Director of Thiess Indonesia, Roy Olsen, said the new contract is testament to Thiess Indonesia’s strong performance in delivering better outcomes for our clients and competitive position in Indonesia.

“We have been delivering construction services to the resource industry for more than 20 years in Indonesia so our operations are well integrated with local suppliers, contractors and labour. This also aligns with OZ Minerals sustainable development focus for the project.

“On top of our commitment to sustainability, the safety and efficiency of our operations are an essential component to delivering the project within the OZ Minerals’ timeframe. The foreign investment in this project is also a positive sign for Indonesia’s mining sector to ensure projects continues to get off the ground and the country benefits from the resources boom,” Mr Olsen said.

The contract works are due to commence in late September 2008 with a target completion date of the process related works towards the end of 2009. Thiess Indonesia will complete the initial infrastructure works which include bulk earth works, site preparation, concrete construction and embankments and a camp for 100 workers.