The Challenge
Tight Deadlines, Multiple Stakeholders, Feasibility Level Inputs
The Project
Rio Tinto’s Hope Downs One Partial Closure project focuses on rehabilitating the Baby Hope deposit and surrounding infrastructure within the Hope Downs 1 mining area. The initiative includes progressive rehabilitation of disturbed land, removal of redundant infrastructure, and strategic backfilling of mine voids using mineral waste. These works aim to meet environmental obligations, reduce long-term liabilities, and prepare the site for future pastoral use. The closure strategy reflects Rio Tinto’s commitment to responsible mining and sustainable land stewardship, ensuring that post-mining landscapes are safe, stable, and compatible with regional land use objectives. It’s a key step in lifecycle planning.
Our Approach
Experience is the ultimate differentiator
Feasability EstimatingÂ
Estimating for a feasibility study on a major project is a complex undertaking, fraught with uncertainty and strategic implications. At this early stage, decisions are made with limited design detail, evolving assumptions, and incomplete data – yet the estimate must be robust enough to guide investment, shape scope, and inform risk management. This is where ProfitPays, as the appointed consultant, brought critical value to WSP & Rio Tinto.
Without a fully defined scope, ProfitPays had to forecast construction methodologies, material selections, site conditions, and regulatory impacts. These variables can shift dramatically as the project evolves, and misjudging any one of them can skew the entire financial model. Market volatility adds another layer of complexity, with fluctuating labour rates, commodity prices, and supply chain risks all influencing cost outcomes.
Deep Estimating Experience
ProfitPays overcame these challenges by deploying Quantity Surveyors with deep estimating experience. Their approach is methodical and data-driven, but grounded in practical insight. They know how to interpret incomplete information, apply appropriate cost models, and build defensible assumptions. Rather than relying solely on generic benchmarks, ProfitPays leverages proprietary data, regional intelligence, and lessons learned from comparable projects to calibrate estimates with precision.
Risk & Contingency
Risk and contingency planning is another area where ProfitPays excels. Their Quantity Surveyors understand how to quantify uncertainty and not just by applying blanket percentages, but by analysing scope gaps, procurement risks, and delivery constraints. This allowed ProfitPays to build layered contingencies that reflect both known unknowns and potential scope evolution, giving stakeholders a realistic view of cost exposure.
Communication
Communication is key. ProfitPays regularly communicated with the various stakeholders and held meetings to close out team based tasks such as risk reviews and value engineering exercises. Feedback was documented and actioned on a daily basis.
Technology
Technology supports ProfitPays process, but it’s the expertise of their Quantity Surveyors that makes the difference. Tools like cost databases and parametric models enhance efficiency, but they cannot replace the nuanced understanding of construction logistics, procurement strategy, and market dynamics that ProfitPays brings to the table.
Key Services
Core Services That Enabled Success
First principles cut through complexity and experience is the difference between estimating and truly understanding the cost
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Quantity Surveying Reports
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5D BIM Estimating
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2D BIM Estimating
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Estimating
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Benchmarking
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Lifecycle Facility Estimating
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Risk Analysis
The Results
Outcomes That Made the Difference
Study Phase Completed on Time
ProfitPays QS Report was critical to this successful Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) study. It provided a structured, transparent cost breakdown that supported informed decision making and risk assessment.
By applying first principles estimating, ProfitPays ensured every cost element was justified, traceable, and aligned with the evolving scope. This clarity enabled the project team to evaluate scenarios, validate assumptions, and build credible financial models.
ProfitPays input provided funding confidence and stakeholder trust. It brought together all the critical aspects and inputs from the key stakeholders into one concise and digestible document.
Gallery
Open Pit Mines
Samples of Open Pit Mines (Not representative of the actual Project or Location)
Feedback
Client Words That Speak for Themselves
WSP Australia
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with ProfitPays. Michael, in particular, demonstrates a high level of diligence and attention to detail. He consistently delivers quality work and approaches projects with a pragmatic, collaborative mindset. ProfitPays has shown commitment to providing accurate, fit-for-purpose solutions on time, and they’ve shown strong capability in both integrated delivery teams and more specialised, subcontractor-style engagements. Their flexibility and technical expertise make them a valuable partner.
WSP Australia
I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working with ProfitPays. Michael, in particular, demonstrates a high level of diligence and attention to detail. He consistently delivers quality work and approaches projects with a pragmatic, collaborative mindset. ProfitPays has shown commitment to providing accurate, fit-for-purpose solutions on time, and they’ve shown strong capability in both integrated delivery teams and more specialised, subcontractor-style engagements. Their flexibility and technical expertise make them a valuable partner.
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