THE official opening of the expanded Telfer Gold Mine was a celebration of the commitment, expertise and cooperation that made it possible.

The Telfer Gold Mine expansion project was officially opened by the Premier of Western Australia, Dr Geoff Gallop, at an on-site ceremony on Thursday July 28. Dr Gallop said the re-opening of the mine meant the 620 new permanent jobs that have been created was particularly good news for the Pilbara region. “In addition to investment, jobs and exports, this project has also meant new local infrastructure – a new gas pipeline, a new power station and the upgrading of roads and accommodation.” Dr Gallop also praised the Company for its community relations program. “I would like to congratulate Newcrest on the way in which the Telfer project has been developed – establishing agreements with six native title claimant groups and the Indigenous training and employment initiatives that have emerged,” he said.

Stakeholder support

In welcoming the guests and media, Telfer General Manager Marco Zolezzi paid tribute to all the employees of Newcrest and its contractors, the local communities and native title claimant groups, the local governments of the East Pilbara and Port Hedland, the State government and various regulatory authorities. “We are very grateful for the support given us by our stakeholders,” Mr Zolezzi said. “This support is not given lightly nor is it taken for granted. We place a very high value on these relationships and put a lot of effort into earning the support of our stakeholders by maintaining consistently high operating standards and by being good citizens in our workplace and in our community.”

Relationships important

Teddy Biljabu, chairman of the Western Desert Puntukurnuparna Aboriginal Corporation, welcomed the visitors to the Martu lands. He told the guests the relationship with Newcrest was solid, based on trust and built on mutual respect. Mr Biljabu said his people looked forward to continuing positive relationships with the Company for the benefit of all parties. Newcrest non-executive Director Ian Renard said that building and operating a project of Telfer’s size was dependant upon a strong and workable relationship with the native title parties. “We value the relationship we have with the native title claimant groups along the route of the gas pipeline which services this site, and with the Martu people, who are the traditional owners of the
immediate Telfer area,” Mr Renard said. “The mining industry can forge strong links with native title groups and provide long-lasting social and economic benefits as part of that relationship. “We believe the Telfer project does, and will for the long
term, prove to be beneficial for the interests of these traditional owners whose country we traverse and impact upon.”

Mr Renard described the Telfer expansion as a truly international project. “It brings together people and componentry from many countries, and is designed and managed by Australian expertise,” he said. “It has and will continue to deliver significant benefits to WA and the nation.” Mr Renard also acknowledged the people of Newcrest and its contractors. “It has been through their efforts, their innovation, their commitment to the task at hand, their perseverance, their patience and their pursuit of excellence that this mine has been made possible. “I would like to mention the tremendous personal and team efforts of all those people who have brought this project to where it is, in particular Newcrest’s exploration group, the project
development and construction team, and the hard-working and diligent team led by Marco Zolezzi, who is the proud manager of this operation,” Mr Renard said.