Tanami JV selects Macmahon: underground design and scheduling notes for engineers
Reviewed by Joe Ashwell

First reported on Australian Mining
30 Second Briefing
Tanami Gold NL and MGX Resources have named Macmahon Underground as preferred contractor for developing their Tanami joint venture underground mine, signalling a move from study phase towards detailed design and execution planning. The scope is expected to cover decline development, level access, production stoping and associated ground support, with Macmahon likely to deploy its existing underground fleet and crews from other Australian hard-rock operations. For geotechnical and mine planning teams, the decision sets the framework for finalising ground support standards, ventilation layouts and production scheduling around a contractor-operated model.
Technical Brief
- Contractor selection enables early alignment on decline gradient, profile, and ground support installation methodology.
- Contractor-operated model will drive mine design towards equipment-standard drive dimensions and turning radii.
- Ventilation and services layout can now be refined around typical fan, ducting and power reticulation configurations.
- Commercial framework will influence stope sequencing and development advance rates embedded in the life-of-mine schedule.
Our Take
Macmahon Underground’s selection by the Central Tanami Project JV between Tanami Gold NL and MGX Resources follows MGX’s earlier move to acquire 50% of what was described as one of Australia’s highest‑grade undeveloped gold projects from Northern Star Resources, signalling that MGX is rapidly consolidating a strategic position in Northern Territory underground gold assets.
Across our mining-projects coverage, Northern Territory gold developments like the Central Tanami area tend to face longer lead times on underground approvals and infrastructure, so locking in a specialist contractor such as Macmahon Underground early typically helps de‑risk schedule and financing discussions.
Macmahon Holdings has appeared in several of our Australia‑focused project and contract‑award items, and its repeat selection for gold work suggests operators such as Tanami Gold NL and MGX Resources are favouring established underground contractors over smaller local players for technically complex decline and exploration development.
Prepared by collating external sources, AI-assisted tools, and Geomechanics.io’s proprietary mining database, then reviewed for technical accuracy & edited by our geotechnical team.
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