Crosslands Resources has appointed Fluor to refine a recent study over the Jack Hills expansion project, which is key to the development of the Oakajee port and rail operation.
The engineering contractor will validate and refine the recent findings of the strategic asset review and bring it up to a feasibility study standard.
Oakajee Port and Rail and Crosslands chief executive John Langoulant said Fluor’s work is a “vital step” towards securing finance for the expansion project.
The first draft of Fluor’s study is expected for peer review by the middle of this year.
“Planning and approvals are well advanced for the port and rail infrastructure,” Mr Langoulant said.
“Our focus now shifts to completing feasibility work for the Jack Hills mine.”
A pilot mining program at Jack Hills was successfully completed last year, which saw the production rate reach 1.8 million tonnes per annum.
Jack Hills has a resource of 3.89 billion tonnes of iron ore.