Caravel Minerals Ltd has introduced the award of the EPCM contract to Primero Group Ltd, a subsidiary of NRW Holdings Ltd, to undertake the examine for the Caravel Copper Venture, positioned 150 km northeast of Perth in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt.
The contract award follows a rigorous tender course of overseen by Caravel’s newly appointed Examine Supervisor, Greg MacDonald. Greg has over 30 years of sources sector undertaking and examine supply expertise, having numerous senior roles in contractor, EPCM and proprietor’s crew environments throughout main useful resource tasks for Talison Lithium Australia, Iluka, Tronox, BHP and Rio Tinto.
The method concerned issuing Requests for Proposals to 5 pre-qualified corporations, with bids evaluated towards stringent standards together with copper concentrator expertise, regional undertaking experience, value
estimating and scheduling accuracy, constructability information, and security and environmental efficiency.
Primero’s choice has been based mostly on its technically superior proposal, intensive Perth-based undertaking supply, business flexibility, and the potential to leverage NRW Holdings’ broader capabilities in mining, earthworks, commissioning, and operations/upkeep. The examine is scheduled to begin on 1 September 2025 and full by Q1 2026, offering key inputs into the general DFS, which is predicted to be launched in roughly mid-2026.
The examine is a vital enter to the DFS and advances the Caravel Copper Venture in direction of a Ultimate Funding Resolution. The scope consists of engineering design, value estimating, constructability assessments and execution planning/scheduling for the general undertaking scope, together with the mine, processing plant, tailings administration facility, water provide and non-process infrastructure. The A$15 million funding settlement with Regal Royalty Fund, with the drawdown accomplished on 31 July 2025, supplies important funding to help the general DFS.
Primero brings intensive experience to the Venture, demonstrated by its present work at Northern Star Assets Ltd for the design and development of course of plant amenities on the KCGM Development Venture. That undertaking, centred on the Fimiston Processing Plant, will improve processing capability from 13 Mt/y to 27 Mt/y. The size of the KCGM undertaking is straight akin to Caravel’s proposed 30 Mt/y processing plant, and underscores Primero’s functionality to ship high-quality outcomes for the Caravel Copper Venture in Western Australia’s Wheatbelt area.
Managing Director Don Hyma commented: “The appointment of Primero represents a major choice for the undertaking, not just for the DFS but additionally for the next implementation section. The tender course of was professionally overseen by our Examine Supervisor Greg MacDonald, to make sure we chosen a associate with confirmed experience in Western Australian mineral processing and development. The not too long ago introduced funding settlement with Regal Royalty Fund paves the best way for Caravel to finish a well-defined, prime quality DFS, main into Entrance Finish Engineering Design and a Monetary Funding Resolution. Primero will work carefully with Caravel to maximise the Venture’s distinctive advantage of its proximity to Perth and the superb entry to expertise and intensive workforce accessible in WA.”
The mine plan for the Caravel Copper Venture is predicated on an owner-operator mannequin because of the undertaking’s lengthy mine life of +25 years and the chance to utilise applied sciences equivalent to automation and electrical drives that aren’t at present accessible with contract mining.
The mine technique can be a traditional open-pit bulk mining operation, utilizing RC grade management drilling and autonomous platform rigs for blast gap drilling. Load and haul is predicated on manned electrical shovels and backhoes loading autonomous diesel-electric vehicles utilizing trolley help for grid powered electrical drive on ramps and lengthy hauls for each ore and waste.
