BUNBURY-BASED Pine Hauliers Pty Ltd has signed a contract worth $50 million with the state government’s forest products commission for the harvesting of pine from South West plantations. FPC general manager Dr Paul Biggs said the agreement followed nearly two years of negotiation. “The new contract has two elements, the first being for the production of approximately 450,000 cubic metres per year of pine logs up to December 2012,” Dr Biggs said. “The second element involves loading and delivery of the same quantity until no later than June 30 2009.” Dr Biggs said the FPC’s major customers had suggested that it may be possible to improve efficiency by engaging a single contractor to load and cart all pine products from all FPC operations in the South West, amounting to over 800,000 cubic metres a year. “We have listened to our customers and have committed to completing a new tender for loading and carting by June 30 2008, which will allow a 12 month transition period between the existing arrangement and any new contract arising from the tender,” he said Edited announcement Resolute aims to lift production in ’09 PERTH-BASED Resolute Mining Ltd expects to double its levels of annual gold production to around 500,000 ounces by mid-2009, primarily driven by its Syama mine in the African state of Mali. A major expansion at its Ravenswood open pit and nearby Mt Wright underground mining operations in Queensland, where $30 million in development has been spent since July last year, will also be key contributors. Chief executive Peter Sullivan said the doubling in output should be brought to account as scheduled as a result of the company’s $200 million capital expansion program. “Syama will be our key project going forward and we have spent $45 million there in the past 12 months, with more to come to achieve mine commissioning by 2008,” Mr Sullivan said. Edited announcement
