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Turner Mining Group wins $120 million contract at industrial sand operation in Texas

Posted on 26 Jan 2023

Turner Mining Group says it has been awarded a $120 million mining contract in Texas, USA, with an industrial sand producer in the west of the state.

The company has now broken ground on this four-year, turnkey mining contract for what is says is an industry-leading industrial sand producer in West Texas. This mining services agreement continues to expand Turner’s client portfolio into diverse markets as the global demand for frac sand continues to rise, it said.

Employing more than 80 miners to perform the services, Turner will manage and oversee all mining activities in a multi-site effort to streamline operations. The scope of work includes construction of mine haul roads, loading and hauling 55 million tons (50 Mt) of sand, overburden removal, construction of tailings impoundments and freshwater ponds along with stockpile management and load-out.

The selection of the mine services contract was awarded based on Turner’s safety record, production capabilities, asset management plan and overall “value for dollar” along with an established and proven track record of delivering safe production and professionalism previously across several of the client’s other locations, Turner said.

Paul Moran, Chief Commercial Officer, added: “We’ve built a strong relationship with this producer over the last several years and we look forward to the opportunity to expand upon our successful, partnership that ensures ownership and accountability.”

With safety and efficiency at the forefront, Turner says it has invested in a significant fleet of new and low-hour equipment to maximise machine uptime and availability. Acquiring and deploying nearly $30 million in equipment assets to ensure uptime and efficiency, the expansive fleet includes Volvo articulated haul trucks, Hitachi 1200-7B excavators (one pictured), various utility excavators, wheel loaders and ancillary mining support equipment. Turner mobilised over 50 pieces of equipment in less than two months to meet project timelines and production demands.

On the substantial acquisition, Cade Smith, SVP of Equipment, explains: “The equipment we chose to utilise was based on the scope of work, length of haul and site material characteristics. The fleet is equipped with telemetry technology to provide more detailed reporting, so that we can review hauled tonnages, machine speeds and efficiencies via the systems we have in place.”

This contract is another big win for the Turner team as it continues to broaden its mining capabilities and establish partnerships with clients across a multitude of material types throughout the USA, it said.

Keaton Turner, President and CEO, said: “This recent Texas contract award is yet another stepping stone in our mission to make life better for the mining industry by creating dozens of local, high paying jobs while also relocating traveling miners from all across the country to work in the beautiful Lonestar State. I could not be more proud of our team for deploying a fleet of high-production assets, cutting-edge technology and living out our values which allowed us to safely mine more than 1 million tons of material in our first 30 days on site. This is a testament to our team’s relentless dedication while working shoulder to shoulder with our clients to solve some of the industry’s greatest challenges.”