GR Engineering Services says it has increased the scope of work related to the engineering, procurement and construction contract with Australian Nickel Investments Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of IGO Limited, for the upgrade of the existing nickel concentrator at the Cosmos nickel operations, in Western Australia.

The company has been awarded a variation by IGO to further increase the throughput of the nickel concentrator at the project from circa-750,000 t/y to 1.1 Mt/y. This will bring the contract sum to A$76 million ($49 million), it said.

Geoff Jones, GR Engineering Managing Director, said: “GR Engineering has a long history of working with the IGO management team and is pleased to be awarded with this variation. GR Engineering looks forward to safely and successfully completing this important project.”

IGO’s CEO, Matt Dusci, added: “IGO is pleased to be working with GR Engineering on the Cosmos project after the previous successful collaboration on Nova.”

Following the acquisition of Western Areas Limited on June 20, 2022, IGO commenced work toward developing a project optimisation strategy and plan designed to deliver higher production rates for the life of the operation and a more safe and sustainable mine plan at Cosmos. The increased plant throughput strategy was part of this.

IGO is currently developing the Odysseus underground mine at Cosmos, with plans to deliver high quality nickel concentrates into the global market.