In the race to unlock the deeper ore bodies powering the world’s energy transition, Australia’s underground mines are pushing further beneath the surface than ever before. Achieving this safely, efficiently, and with technical certainty requires a contractor with the skills and systems to meet geology on its own terms. Redpath Australia has steadily positioned itself as one of the country’s most capable underground mining partners, delivering sophisticated vertical and lateral infrastructure in some of the most demanding conditions.
Part of the Redpath Group — which employs nearly 9,000 people across 12 countries and more than 90 ongoing projects — the Australian division combines global expertise with local operational discipline. From shaft sinking and contract mining to advanced ground support execution, the company’s work reflects a commitment to both engineering precision and the wellbeing of its workforce.
Nowhere is that capability more visible than at the TE2 shaft project for Newmont in Western Australia. Once fully equipped, the shaft will become the deepest hoisting shaft in Australia at 1,460 meters. Reaching that depth demanded continuous adaptation to shifting ground conditions, which included significant overbreak in lower sections of the shaft and the need for water ingress control through multiple grouting campaigns. More than 21,000 cubic meters of concrete has been installed along with kilometers of electrical and process services to prepare the shaft for its future role. With sinking complete, Redpath’s crews have transitioned into the equipping phase, installing the mechanical and electrical systems required for continuous ore handling. It is a milestone that underscores the company’s position at the forefront of complex shaft construction in Australia.
While TE2 captures Redpath’s strength in vertical access, the company is equally influential in mechanised ground support. Across several underground operations in Australia, Redpath teams drill and install approximately 40 kilometers of cable bolts every month. For mines deepening into stressed rock conditions, mechanised cablebolting is a lifeline — improving stability, reducing exposure, and maintaining development momentum. It is also a capability that has moved beyond Australia’s borders. When Redpath USA Corporation recently sought to enhance its training on Sandvik DS422i systems at the Kennecott copper mine in Utah, the expertise came from Brisbane. Senior bolting specialist Morgan Humble, with more than 15 years’ experience in Australian underground mines, spent time onsite coaching operators and transferring lessons learned from thousands of bolting cycles underground. It is a prime example of how Redpath treats the world as one connected mine: capability refined in one region quickly strengthens performance in another.
Continuous operating improvement is further supported by incremental investment in modern fleet systems. At South32’s Cannington mine, Redpath recently introduced a DS422i cablebolter, a Normet LF700 agitator and a CAT 140M grader — equipment chosen not only for performance, but for the safety enhancements that automation-readiness and consistent support cycles create. The philosophy operating behind these decisions is simple: safer operations are more productive, and better tools lead to stronger technical outcomes.
However, machines alone do not drive mining productivity. Redpath’s people strategy is one of the clearest features of its long-term success. The business continues to invest heavily in skills transfer and leadership development, including its Graduate Development Program which brings young professionals together to learn directly from experienced engineers, superintendents, and former graduates who have grown into leadership roles. The company marked a notable milestone this year with Managing Director Gavin Ramage reaching 15 years of service, eight of them in his current leadership role. Workforce continuity like this is increasingly rare in mining and provides a foundation of experience and adaptability that greatly benefits clients.
Redpath’s culture places equal emphasis on inclusion, collaboration, and personal responsibility. Harmony Day celebrations highlighted the diverse backgrounds that make up the team, reinforcing a workplace environment where different perspectives materially improve the way work is planned and executed. Safety is championed not through slogans but through habits. As GM HSEQ Graeme Christie recently shared in a message to the team, most underground incidents do not originate from equipment failures — they stem from small lapses in attention: a missed step, a rushed task, hesitation to speak up. “We all want the same thing at the end of the day — to get home safe,” he reminded his colleagues. “And that doesn’t happen by accident. It’s built through habits and watching each other’s backs.” At Redpath, safety is treated as the engineering of human behavior — the thread that runs through every procedure and every cycle underground.
The company’s impact also extends beyond the mine gate. A recent system upgrade enabled the donation of more than 200 laptops, desktops and tablets to Computers4Learning Inc., a Brisbane-based not-for-profit that refurbishes devices and distributes them to families and students without reliable digital access. It is a practical example of Redpath’s belief that local communities should benefit from the industry’s progress. Similarly, the company continues to support initiatives shaping the future talent pipeline for mining through its involvement with student Mining Games and AusIMM university chapters nationwide. These engagements help ensure that the next generation can see a compelling and meaningful career path underground.
Taken together — deep shaft construction, advanced ground support execution, continuous fleet investment, disciplined safety culture and structured workforce development — Redpath Australia has built a capability profile aligned with where the mining industry is headed. As ore bodies become deeper and more geotechnically complex, mine owners will require contractors who can not only solve the engineering problem, but do so while protecting productivity, environmental performance and the wellbeing of people on site. Redpath’s operating model — global expertise supported by local skill — is designed for exactly that future.
Mining is ultimately a test of resilience and discipline below ground. Every meter advanced represents thousands of interconnected decisions made by people who carry both the risks and the rewards of that progress. Redpath Australia succeeds because it treats both with equal weight. It focuses on the difficult work: deep, mechanised, safety-critical development where results are visible in the rock itself. And as the industry continues to push into greater depths in pursuit of the metals the world now depends upon, Redpath stands in the space where technical certainty and human capability meet — and advances.
