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AFTER 12 months of planning and discussions, Peninsula Toyota has officially handed over the first fleet vehicles to Rex Minerals Hillside Mine.
Dealer principal of the Kadina business, Sam McInnes said it was rewarding to finally see the light vehicles on site.
“There’s a lot of effort by the team here,” Mr McInnes said.
“It shows that our dealership, although a small rural dealership, can provide big fleets.”
Mr McInnes said his business and mining company had been working together since November 2024 to understand Rex’s plans in the region, community engagement and support needs, building relationships to explore how they could work together.
“It’s a partnership and what we found was they are really keen on buying and supporting local,” Mr McInnes said.
“They were looking for someone to support them, particularly with vehicle maintenance.”
Peninsula Toyota started to look after Rex’s existing fleet vehicles.
“Then we were given the opportunity to tender for their work,” Mr McInnes said.
Rex Minerals chief executive Jason Schell said the company continued to work with local businesses and supply partners across Yorke Peninsula.
“We now secure services or supplies from 17 towns in the direct region,” he said.
“The partnership with Peninsula Toyota will involve the supply and maintenance of the Rex Minerals light vehicles and light trucks for the Hillside Copper and Gold mine, south of Ardrossan.
“We look forward to working with Sam and his team on the upcoming trial of hybrid mining vehicles at Hillside and into the future.”
About Hillside
HILLSIDE is one of the largest undeveloped copper projects in Australia and, according to rexminerals.com.au, it contains a mineral resource of 1.9 million tonnes of copper and 1.5 million ounces of gold.
The mine’s expected life span is at least 22 years, based on the current plans which include stages 1 and 2, each of 11 years duration.
There is potential to extend beyond 40 years with future stages (stages 3 and 4).
Timeline to date
• November 2008: Rex Minerals confirmed its discovery of high-grade copper mineralisation at its Hillside project, situated on farmland 12 kilometres south of Ardrossan.
• August 2013: As Rex got closer to applying for a mining lease, the company was involved in two court cases with landowners whose property bordered Hillside and sought to stop Rex from entering their land.
• September 2013: Rex applied for a mining lease at Hillside. The public was given six weeks to comment.
• September 2014: Rex Minerals officially accepted a mining lease approval from the South Australian Government to build the mine at Hillside.
• August 2017: Community consultation sessions were held about the mine.
• February 2018: Rex submitted its Program for Environment Protection and Rehabilitation.
• July 2020: The SA Government approved Rex’s PEPR for stage 1 of the project.
• December 2022: Onsite construction of the Hillside mine infrastructure began.
• July 2024: Work began on a diversion of Pine Point Road and its intersection with St Vincent Highway to make way for the mine.
• October 2024: MACH Metals Australia, a subsidiary of Indonesia’s Salim Group acquired Rex Minerals, valuing Rex at $393 million.
• April 2025: The newly realigned section of the Yorke Highway reopened to traffic.
• September 2025: Work began to upgrade and re-align a section of St Vincent Highway, and the Sandy Church Road intersection.
Other current works to support future mine operations include providing access over deep creeks and improvements on the section of the Walk the Yorke between Pine Point and Rogues Point.