The Byrnecut story

Byrnecut has been in the underground mining business for over 30 years.

We have weathered the good times and the bad, proving that we are a solid contracting company with extensive experience and knowledge of the industry.

1987

Commencing in 1987, Byrnecut was a new enterprise for Steve Coughlan (current Executive Chairman), Frank Lubbock, Clive Annear and John O’Byrne. While the stock market crash of October 1987 resulted in a challenging environment for a new mining contractor, we were able to stay above water by winning our first contract, the Westralia decline at Bellevue (WA) for Queen Margaret Gold Mines.

1989

To address financial pressure from all directions, a new partner was sought and found in Thyssen Mining Construction of Australia. This strong association continues today. With the new partnership established, we were able to commence work at the Callion Gold Mine (WA) and Redeemer Gold Mine (WA).

1992

Building on our growing reputation throughout Western Australia, we were awarded underground contracts at Ora Banda Gold Mine (WA) and at Mariners and Wannaway Nickel Mines (WA).

1993

After gaining years of experience in the Goldfields region of Western Australia, our first significant interstate contract was won at Dead Bullock Soak in the Tanami (NT) for Normandy. This was our first fly-in, fly-out site, now the standard across our domestic sites.

As well as growing our business with new contracts, we have always tried to grow a solid business through the establishment of complementary business elements. The fundamental premise of each of these ventures has been that the new business must operate independently in the open market. The first of these new businesses was a joint venture with RUC Mining for raise drilling and shaft sinking throughout Australia. At the same time, we formed a new company to take on our shotcreting requirements. By combining with a NSW civil shotcreting contractor, we were able to introduce a new company, Jetcrete, that specialised in shotcreting to the hard rock mining industry. Jetcrete’s first contract was Perseverance Nickel Mine at WMC’s Leinster Nickel Operations. Since then, Jetcrete has established itself through numerous contracts in Australia. More recently, Jetcrete North America (a joint venture with Thyssen Mining & Construction of Canada) commenced providing shotcreting services in Canada and the USA. By 1994, Byrnecut was also steadily increasing its reputation as a dependable underground mining contractor, and was awarded underground contracts at Mt McClure Gold Mine (WA), Gecko Copper Mine (NT) and Kapok Lead/Zinc Mine (WA).

1996

We were successful with a number of tenders in Western Australia and were subsequently awarded underground contracts at Victory, Chalice and Brittania Sirius gold mines, together with the Carnilya Hill, Lanfranchi and Blair nickel mines.

1997

Success continued with the awarding of Western Australian underground contracts at Miitel Nickel Mine and Pillara Lead/Zinc Mine.

1998

A busy year for new underground contracts: we took on projects at the Crusader, Darlot and Bounty Gold Mines (WA).

1999

Bulyanhulu Gold mine, Tanzania

Our first major international contract was won in Tanzania to develop a decline at Bulyanhulu gold mine for Barrick. Here, we learned much about logistics, language barriers and operating in a remote overseas region. We were also successful in winning the contract at Pajingo Gold Mine (QLD) and took over the Mt Magnet gold operations at Hill 50 and Morning Star (WA).

2000

Our growing our presence on the international stage, combined with our excellent reputation, helped us to continue to grow our overseas business. In 2000, we won the contract for the development at Tara Zinc Mine in Ireland for Outokumpu, against strong international competition.

2001

Cosmos Nickel mines, WA, Australia

We were awarded underground contracts at the Mt Marion, Jundee Gold and Cosmos Nickel Mines (WA). The contract at Jundee continues to this day, showing how the flexibility and adaptability of our approach to underground mining leads to long-standing relationships with major mining companies.

2003

Forming a joint venture with global partners Thyssen Mining & Construction of Canada and RUC Mining, we were awarded the contract to sink the Telfer hoist shaft.

2004

As Byrnecut continued its overseas expansion, its Australian division was awarded the underground contract at Nifty Copper Mine (WA) and Tritton Copper Mine (NSW).

Following the conclusion of the joint venture with RUC Mining, we acquired our own raiseboring fleet and set it to work under the new name of Raising Australia. The business has proved itself throughout Western Australia, and has since expanded to include works across Australia and abroad. Raising Australia has also invested in one of the most advanced raisebore rigs on the market.

Initially envisaged as a means to retain the expertise of graduate engineers, another business, Mining Plus, was formed to provide a broad range of technical mining services. Starting as a two-man consulting team based in Perth, Mining Plus is now a global enterprise with offices in Melbourne, Adelaide, Vancouver, Toronto and Lima, and the US and UK.

Meanwhile, contract works commenced at Greenbushes mine (WA) and Ridgeway gold mine (NSW). Additionally, Byrnecut was awarded a significant contract at Telfer gold mine in the north-west of Western Australia. This contract is still in place, a testament to the longevity of our relationships with major mining companies.
Byrnecut was also awarded its first international contract in Asia, developing the underground mine and shaft sinking at the Kencana gold mine in Indonesia.

The mining industry was booming and all of our service providers were struggling to keep up with demand, especially for major equipment rebuilds and major component rebuilds. The solution was to set up Murray Engineering, an independent mechanical maintenance and electrical provider. After rapidly outgrowing its initial premises in Kalgoorlie and Perth, Murray Engineering commissioned a state-of-the-art facility in Pinjarra.
Meanwhile, with more international contracts on the cards, a dedicated international branch, Byrnecut Offshore, was established. Byrnecut Offshore has grown into an internationally recognised company with experience in Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Europe. We were awarded our first underground contract in New Zealand at Frasers Gold mine (NZ) and in Central Asia at Voskhod (Kazakhstan).

2008

The Global Financial Crisis hit and everyone had to take a deep breath, tighten their belts and ride out the storm. We fared better than many of our competitors by holding our course, keeping to our core business ethics and adapting to the new financial landscape. At this turbulent time we were awarded underground contracts at Golden Grove (WA) and Ballarat gold mine (VIC). We also commenced the shaft sinking project at Perseverance Deeps Shaft 2 (WA) with our joint venture partner Thyssen Mining & Construction of Canada.

2009

Byrnecut worked consistently and steadily across Australian and overseas projects. We were awarded an underground contract at Mariners Nickel Mine (WA).

2010

Ernest Henry Copper Mine, QLD, Australia (Shaft Sinking)

With a number of successful tenders across Australia, we mobilised at Merlin Molybdenum mine (QLD), Sinclair Nickel, Miitel Nickel, Athena and King of the Hills Gold mines (WA) and Prominent Hill Copper mine (SA). We were awarded our first major shaft sink as a sole contractor at the Ernest Henry Copper Mine (QLD).

2011

Clients of our contracting core business would often ask if Byrnecut could offer mine site infrastructure, such as workshops or offices. These continuing requests resulted in the formation of Quattro Project Engineering. Quattro offers engineering design, project management, engineering certification and other engineering consultancy services, including paste-fill design.

2012

Sano Health health, safety and training workshop

Byrnecut is widely acknowledged as having robust systems in place for occupational health, safety and training. Increasing enquiries from external parties to purchase them led to the formation of a new company, Sano Health, that could access these systems under licence. Sano Health has taken its cues from the world of elite sport, using scientific analysis to look at workplace injury prevention in a new way. Another facet of its scope of works is conducting independent mine safety audits. Sano’s growing client list encompasses a wide range of industries nationwide. Also in 2012, Byrnecut was awarded the underground contract at Gwalia Gold Mine (WA).

2013

With the business continuing to evolve and grow to meet the needs of the changing environment in the mining sector, we were awarded the underground contracts at the Cave Rocks (WA) and Challenger (SA) gold mines.

2014

The international division returned to the place where it all began, as Byrnecut were awarded contracts at Bulyanhulu and North Mara in Tanzania. Many of the workforce employed were operators from our original time in the country almost 15 years prior.

2019

The world-record for solo-jumbo development team at Jundee

The Byrnecut team at Jundee set a new world record for solo-jumbo monthly development. The team achieved an astonishing 754.3 metres (2,849 feet) in one month, breaking the record set in 2013 at Dugald River in Queensland. The record-breaking team bolted and meshed all 754.3m of development, and there were no safety incidents. ‘The key to success was preparation, planning, scheduling, optimisation, management and letting the team execute.’

2020

We thrive on our ability to adapt and spot a new opportunity. By encouraging innovation from our suppliers, and identifying key areas where we can expand or improve, we continue to provide a competitive range of services to our clients backed by extensive experience, and will continue to do so for the foreseeable future.

2023

2023 saw the award of our largest contract yet, the $1b AU contract was awarded to Byrnecut for the provision of underground mining services to Liontown Resources for the Kathleen Valley lithium project.

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