The contract involves the replacement of the Gloria manganese mine's underground rock handling infrastructure and surface plant in South Africa's Northern Cape.

Assmang is jointly owned by African Rainbow Minerals and Assore.

DRA will be responsible for the EPCM of the project with a focus on the optimisation and modernisation of the mine, which will provide further flexibility to sustain the life of mine production expectations through the replacement of underground rock handling infrastructure as well as a new surface plant and its associated infrastructure.

JC Heslinga, senior vice president, projects at DRA, said: "Due to our long-standing relationship and successful track record of project delivery for Assmang, DRA was approached as the EPCM partner for the Gloria project.

"Our history with the project, from initial scoping phases through to the feasibility study, makes DRA the logical fit for project implementation, and we are excited to partner with Assmang once again."

The project completion and final handover is expected late 2021.