Australian Mines says it has shown its ongoing commitment to the Sconi mine by buying more than 5ha (13 acres) of land in nearby Greenvale.

In a statement to the ASX, Australian Mines said the land at Greenvale was located just 10km from the Sconi project and its purchase was part of the company’s commitment to establishing a residential workforce based near the mine.

“From the outset of this project, Australian Mines has remained steadfastly committed to the Sconi project operating with a predominantly residential workforce, with minimal use of fly-in fly-out workers,” the company said.

“This acquisition of freehold land in Greenvale marks the first tangible example of the company’s commitment towards achieving this objective.

“In addition to the construction of new housing and other community social infrastructure including a medical facility in the town, Australian Mines is committed to investing significant funds towards upgrading the region’s existing public infrastructure, such as water, sewerage, roads and airport, in close consultation with the Greenvale community and the local government.”

The Sconi operation is expected to cost about $1.3 billion to develop. Construction is expected to create up to 500 jobs from 2019 to 2021, followed by more than 300 full time positions once the mine, processing plant and associated infrastructure are in steady-state operation.