CIMIC said its mining contractor Thiess has won a $160m contract with BHP Billiton's Nickel West for work at its mine in Western Australia

The 30-month deal will see Thiess provide mine planning services, explosives, drilling and blast services and other mining support for BHP at its Rocky's Reward nickel project, an open-pit project in Leinster, around 400 kilometres north of Kalgoorlie.

CIMIC chief executive Marcelino Fernandez Verdes said the group was expecting to be awarded more work in the resources sector in the near future, with the firm continuing to tender to for more mining projects.

The BHP contract follows Thiess' recent entry into Chile's copper market, with today's nickel contract providing further commodity and geographic diversification for the group, Mr Verdes said.

BHP Billiton had tried to offload its Nickel West business last year, but took it off the auction block after failing to find a buyer at an acceptable price. It also wrote down the value of the business in its half-yearly accounts in February.

CIMIC was previously known as Leighton Holdings.

• [Editor:Juan]