A prominent Indigenous mining services business has become the first joint venture partner of leading ASX company Mineral Resources Limited's offshoot CSI Mining Services.
WA-based contracting company PMW Industries is a Banjima Traditional Owner business that has delivered services for more than a decade across the resource-rich North-West of WA, with Banjima Country covering more than one million hectares of land in the central Pilbara region.
MinRes has gone from strength to strength since listing in 2016 to become a leading diversified resources company, with significant operations in lithium, iron ore, energy and mining services across Western Australia.
Its wholly-owned subsidiary CSI, which provides tailored crushing, screening and processing solutions for some of the world's biggest mining companies, has had a long-standing partnership with PMWI, further secured through its initial joint venture, which the Indigenous mining services business holds a 51 per cent stake in.
CSI possesses Australia's biggest inventory of crushing and mineral processing equipment, parts and rotable spares, and expanded its provision of specialist parts to the mining, quarrying and recycling industries across the country when MinRes bought Mining Wear Parts in 2020.
PMWI managing director and Banjima Traditional Owner, Paula White said the JV would further empower and grow the business and relationship with MinRes, one of Australia's leading resources companies.
"We currently have more than 50 employees across Western Australia, with 55 per cent Indigenous," Ms White said.
"This JV is a great opportunity to grow our business and expand our capabilities."
Ms White is also a co-founder with Nyiyaparli Traditional Owner Stewart Drage of White Springs Demolition & Asbestos, which completed asbestos remediation works on the Tom Price Karratha Road for Main Roads WA.
White Springs also secured two lucrative contracts with Rio Tinto for the supply and haulage of rail ballast for the mining giant's Koodaideri Rail Project, and a four-year deal for similar work at Rio's coastal operations in the Pilbara.
CSI and PMWI were first united through a subcontracting relationship, delivering crushing, screening and rehabilitation works to leading tier one mining companies.
CSI chief executive, Mike Grey said new JV agreement would further strengthen their strong business ties, and opportunities for PMWI to secure more contracts and increase Indigenous employment across WA's competitive mining services sector.
"CSI and PMWI have been working together since 2022, including establishing an accredited Indigenous trainee program for crushing and equipment operators," he said.
"We already have some great wins on the board, including upskilling 27 Indigenous trainees and achieving record tonnes crushed for a mining client."
Building strong relationships with Traditional Owners and local Indigenous groups was integral to the company, and Mr Grey said he was thrilled at the historic JV with the Indigenous business.
"We want to advance economic outcomes [for First Nations people]," he said.
