AMEC, GHD awarded Southdown study

Engineering and project management firms AMEC and GHD have been appointed to undertake a definitive feasibility study for the $2 billion, Grange Resources-led Southdown magnetite iron ore joint venture near Albany.

The value of the contract was not announced.

The AMEC Minproc-GHD joint venture, MAGJV, completed a pre-feasibility study for Southdown joint venture participants Grange Resources and Sojitz Resources and Technology last year.

The definitive feasibility study is expected to be completed by December.

AMEC Minproc president Malcolm Brown said the company was pleased to have been selected.

"Iron ore has become a substantial proportion of our workload and this award recognises our expertise in the commodity, specifically in magnetite which requires large scale process development and design expertise," Mr Brown said.

"Working closely with GHD ... we are drawing on our 30 years of industry experience to assist the Southdown Magnetite JV in bringing the project closer to production."