Kimberley Mineral Sands Thunderbird Operations: it takes a village

Kimberley Mineral Sands is a Joint Venture between Sheffield Resources Ltd and YGH Australia Investment Pty Ltd (Yansteel) to develop the Kimberley Mineral Sands Thunderbird Project. The site is located between Broome and Derby, on the Dampier Peninsula in Western Australia’s Kimberley region, and has one of the biggest and highest-grade mineral sand deposits known.

Founding a partnership
Since 2020, ISS has partnered with Kimberley Mineral Sands (KMS) Thunderbird Operations through the project’s development phase, by providing remote essential services. For the first two years support was delivered during the mining camp’s initial open-shut phase, before a full Financial Investment Decision was announced and the go-ahead for market funding was received mid-2022. ISS then officially signed on with KMS for a long-term partnership.

 

KMS CEO Stuart Pether and CEO ISS Australia & New Zealand Stuart Rose with team representatives at contract signing

From August 2022 to present day, ISS has supported KMS and project through a significant growth phase. The Thunderbird Village has increased from offering 20-person accommodation and a small office to a 350-person site with tavern, gym, recreation room, and full administration and retail provisions. As construction is completed, the project will now transition to the operations phase towards the end of 2023. 

Powered by our people
It does take a village to maintain the day-to-day essential services that count for a fly-in-fly-out workforce on a variety of shifts. Supporting the village with catering, maintenance, tavern services and housekeeping services are critical to keeping residents happy, healthy and connected. Our 23 dedicated Placemakers work tirelessly to elevate each resident’s experience within the village. 

Importantly, as part of our First Nations Engagement Strategy, we exceeded our Indigenous employment target in Year 1. We aim to continue this upward trend in the future through local job fairs, for example. Recently, ISS supported the KMS lead jobs fair in both Broome and Derby to support local recruitment and engagement.

 

Joan (pictured above) has been an integral part of our team for three years, supporting and mentoring our housekeeping crew, while also being a role model for Indigenous Placemakers on site

Safety
Safety measures are paramount in any 24/7 operation but a remote location in harsh desert conditions elevates the need for vigilance across all occupational health and safety aspects. Therefore, we are proud that our total recordable injury frequency rate (TRIFR) has stayed at zero throughout the contract. Compliant food safety and hygiene audits have also ensured that reporting and quality standards have been met consistently. 

Sustainability
The installation of a Winnow Vision AI-enabled unit in the Thunderbird Operations commercial kitchen has led to a drastic reduction in food waste. Winnow automatically recognises food waste, with a motion-sensor camera and connected scale, which logs food type and weight each time it is placed in a waste bin. This function improves data accuracy and efficiency, so that catering staff can quickly cut waste and improve their focus on quality food. 

Now that the system is embedded in our daily operations, we hope to be one of the first mining villages to trial a resident engagement display so that residents can visually understand the effect of their food waste on the environment and drive better choices.

Indigenous partners and suppliers
We have recently partnered with Kooya Fleet Solutions for our ongoing requirements, from end-to-end fleet management to equipment supply and complete telematics solutions. Kooya are Australia’s first and only Aboriginal-owned Fleet Management Company. They donate 5% of profits to the Bibbulman Fund to support Indigenous enterprise, innovation and leadership programs.

 

ISS recently partnered with Australia's first, largest, and sole Aboriginal-owned Fleet Management Company

Working alongside Indigenous suppliers across catering, distribution and logistics, cleaning and hygiene products, and fleet management, we deeply value the links forged through these supplier connections. Currently, suppliers we work with include Kooya Fleet Solutions, Woollahra, Ashburton, and R H Trotter. We are also excited to improve our tavern and retail experiences through new partnerships with a local and Indigenous lens. One example is a partnership with the Broome-based Spinifex Brewing Co, which supports Indigenous communities and supply chains, and brews beers crafted with native Australian flavours.

Point of sale innovation
Introducing a self-service retail outlet at Thunderbird was an Australian first for ISS. It has provided residents with a more convenient, cost-effective shopping experience, over extended trading hours. For KMS the self-service POS has reduced the need for additional labour costs to support the retail function.

Future steps
In the immediate future, we will support KMS with the smooth transition from construction to operations phase at Thunderbird, with a view to offering further support in key areas. ISS is working with KMS to identify areas of value in applying our global expertise at a local level to enhance the village experience for residents and client alike. The Thunderbird Project is projected to begin exports from Kimberley ports in 2024.

The Thunderbird Village is on track to meet projected targets into 2024 and beyond