AUSTRALIA’S third largest underground mining contractor PYBAR Mining Services says Papua New Guinea has emerged as a potential new market for the company. The company believes PNG is attractive due to its resilient gold industry and pipeline of expansion projects.

The PYBAR RBR600-VF raise boring rig that was delivered to OceanaGold’s mine in the Philippines earlier this year.

PYBAR business development manager David Noort said that while PYBAR maintained its focus on Australia, it had identified a number of regions internationally where it believed there was demand for its specialist expertise, equipment and safety systems.

“Currently, our strategy for international expansion is focusing on three key regions - Africa, Philippines and Papua New Guinea - where a number of opportunities are presenting themselves as projects move underground.

“Earlier this year we were awarded our first international contract for the provision of rapid underground development and raise boring at OceanaGold’s Didipio Gold-Copper Project in the Philippines.

“We’ve also been exploring other opportunities in the South East Asia region and PNG is particularly attractive,” he said.

PYBAR’s services encompass mine development, production mining, cablebolting, production drilling and ITH drilling, raise boring and specialist boxhole boring, shotcreting and plant and equipment hire.

“The value we offer clients is rapid mobilisation and development, which enables projects to enter production sooner. This is delivered through our broad expertise, best practice safety and the extensive capability of our drill fleet. We can provide best-for-project solutions with competitive rates and service to any underground mining project,” said David Noort.

Founded in 1993, PYBAR’s success to date is based on safe, rapid underground infrastructure development and consistent reliable production, delivering on projects from large established mining operations to greenfield developments.

Headquartered in Orange, Central New South Wales, and privately owned, the PYBAR Group has established infrastructure and operations in New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, South Australia, Victoria and Tasmania.

The PYBAR Group provides a comprehensive service offering to the mining industry through a number of business units including PYBAR Mining Services as underground mining contractors; HMR Drilling Services (exploration drilling); and JTMEC (mining electrical).