CIMIC Group company Sedgman has acquired Novopro Projects Inc., an engineering and metallurgy company based in Canada that provides engineering services and process equipment to projects in North America, Europe, Africa, Middle East and Australia.

Novopro’s core business and speciality is project development and operational optimization in minerals processing for lithium projects, as well as in potash, salt, magnesium and soda ash.

With this know-how in lithium processing technology, Sedgman gains access to opportunities in this expanding sector, as demand for batteries and electric vehicles increases.

Paired with Sedgman’s minerals processing expertise, project delivery capability and experience, this acquisition expands Sedgman’s service offering to clients from sustaining capital through to major greenfield development, while enhancing Sedgman’s growing North American presence and offering to clients.

Novopro will be re-named Sedgman Novopro and will operate as part of Sedgman in North America.

CIMIC Group Executive Chairman, Juan Santamaria, said: “As a specialist in developing, engineering, and managing projects in metallurgy, mining, and mineral processing, Sedgman Novopro will further diversify the services we provide to clients in North America, a key growth market for Sedgman, and to the rest of the world. I am pleased to welcome Sedgman Novopro to the CIMIC Group.”

Sedgman Managing Director, Grant Fraser, said: “We would like to warmly welcome the Novopro people to our team. Novopro has a long-standing reputation for working with operating facilities across the world and for design and mining expertise. The addition of Novopro to Sedgman will allow us to increase our offering to clients while complementing Sedgman’s existing capabilities. We are excited to work together on opportunities.”

Novopro Managing Director, Mazi Rejaee, said: “In Sedgman, we are pleased to find a strategic partner that complements our current services, expands our capability and offers new opportunities to our personnel and our clients.”

Sedgman and Novopro will work through a transition process focused on the continuity of service to clients.

CIMIC Group companies Sedgman and CPB Contractors, in joint venture, have been selected by BHP to undertake the Western Ridge Crusher Project in Western Australia.

The project, which will generate revenue to CIMIC of $757 million, involves an end-to-end solution for design and construction of a new 30 Mtpa primary crusher (separately procured by BHP) and a 12-kilometre overland conveyor, radial stacker and associated stockpiling systems, with a capacity of 30 Mtpa.

Sedgman and CPB Contractors have worked with BHP during the past 12 months to progress engineering, design and long-lead procurement for the project. The team will now commence construction at the end of May 2024.

CIMIC Group Executive Chairman Juan Santamaria said: “The unique combination of Sedgman’s mineral processing experience and CPB Contractors’ construction expertise provides our clients with the certainty of a proven track record in the delivery of major process infrastructure in the mining industry.”

Sedgman Managing Director Grant Fraser said: “We are pleased to continue our longstanding relationship with BHP and extensive work with CPB Contractors to deliver value for the Western Ridge Crusher Project. It is an exciting, long-term development in Western Australia.”

CPB Contractors Managing Director Jason Spears said: “CPB Contractors has a legacy delivering major projects for BHP in Western Australia and a current workforce based in the Pilbara region. We will continue to work closely with the local community to leverage employment, business and social opportunities with a focus on skills, training and diversity.”

Construction is expected to be completed ready for production to commence in the first quarter of FY27.

The Western Ridge Crusher site is on Nyiyaparli Country in the Pilbara region, approximately 21 kilometres southwest of Newman.

Sedgman, a member of the CIMIC Group, has acquired engineering company MinSol Engineering Pty Ltd. The acquisition is Sedgman’s third in the critical minerals processing sector, completing its strategy to become a full service, global provider in the extraction and refining of minerals essential to the rapidly growing clean energy technologies.

MinSol Engineering’s core business specialises in engineering of hard rock lithium concentration and refining processes including metallurgical test work, flow sheet development and detailed design.

The company, which will operate as Sedgman MinSol, has experience that has been integral to the development of the global lithium industry for more than 15 years.

Its expertise in hard rock lithium processing (including lithium carbonate concentration and lithium hydroxide refining), rare earths and mineral sands, complements Sedgman’s brine lithium processing capabilities acquired with Sedgman Novopro. This enables Sedgman to provide its clients with complete solutions in mineral processing for the global energy transition.

CIMIC Group Executive Chairman Juan Santamaria said: “With the acquisition of MinSol Engineering, Sedgman has finalised the strategic journey it embarked on two years ago to diversify its commodities and extend its global capability into hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, chemicals and energy.

“The acquisitions of Sedgman Onyx, Sedgman Novopro, Sedgman Prudentia and now Sedgman MinSol, are a sign of Sedgman’s boosted capabilities and extended geographical reach, consolidating its position as a leader in minerals processing on a global scale.”

Sedgman Managing Director Grant Fraser said: “Sedgman now covers the complete process flowsheet in the critical minerals industries from comminution and beneficiation to hydrometallurgical refining through leaching, purification and metal recovery.

“With the combined expertise of Sedgman Novopro and Sedgman MinSol, we aim to service the rising demand for brine lithium in the Americas and Europe, and hard rock lithium in Western Australia and North America, to support the demand for minerals used to manufacture the everyday goods used widely across our society and in the energy transition.”