SSH Group Lands Preferred Contractor Status for Crawford Gold Mine in WA
SSH named preferred mining contractor for Cavalier’s Crawford Gold Project
SSH Group has entered a Letter of Intent with Cavalier Resources (ASX: CVR) to become the preferred mining services contractor for Stage 1 of the Crawford Gold Project, located approximately 20km east of Leonora, Western Australia. The arrangement represents further growth for SSH Mining, building on the Group’s expanding mining services capability across Western Australia, though the parties must now progress toward binding commercial agreements before any contract becomes definitive.
This is an LOI — not a signed contract. Preferred contractor status means SSH will work with Cavalier to finalise commercial terms and move toward a binding Heads of Agreement (HOA), followed by a Mining Services Agreement (MSA). No contract value has been disclosed, and all terms remain conditional.
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What the SSH-Cavalier arrangement covers
Under the proposed arrangement, SSH would provide the mining services required for the Stage 1 oxide pit. The proposed arrangement is expected to cover approximately 12 months of active mining operations.
The pathway from here is structured: LOI → commercial terms → binding HOA → MSA. Final commercial terms remain subject to a range of outstanding conditions:
- Completion of due diligence
- Final pricing and benchmarking
- Stage 1 project funding
- Execution of definitive agreements
What this tells you: preferred contractor status is an early-stage commitment, not a locked-in revenue stream. SSH has been selected ahead of competitors, but the commercial and funding steps still ahead mean the deal is not yet guaranteed.
| Detail | What the announcement states |
|---|---|
| Status | Preferred contractor (LOI) |
| Project | Crawford Gold Project, Stage 1 oxide pit |
| Location | ~20km east of Leonora, WA |
| Expected duration | ~12 months active mining |
| Next step | Binding HOA, then MSA |
Understanding mining services contracts
A mining services contractor undertakes mining operations — drilling, blasting, load-and-haul — on behalf of a project owner. The project owner retains ownership of the resource and the mine; the contractor provides the equipment, labour, and expertise to extract it.
The LOI → HOA → MSA progression is standard for larger mining services arrangements. The LOI establishes intent and exclusivity while commercial terms are finalised. The HOA sets out binding heads of terms. The MSA is the definitive contract that governs operations.
Why this matters to you: contract mining provides recurring revenue over the operating period once definitive agreements are executed. But preferred contractor status, while a competitive win, is not yet guaranteed revenue. The conditions listed above must be satisfied first.
Why the deal fits SSH’s growth strategy
SSH Group operates across the Mining, Civil and Construction sectors, with its “Hire, Mine and Own” model underpinning its strategy as a vertically integrated, diversified metals and mining company. Crawford builds on the Group’s expanding mining services capability across Western Australia and demonstrates SSH’s ability to win work supporting emerging WA projects as they move from development into operations.
The investment angle: SSH’s mining services division is positioning itself to capture work from WA projects transitioning from feasibility into production. Preferred contractor status for Crawford, if converted into a definitive MSA, would provide contracted revenue over the ~12-month operating period.
Daniel Cowley-Cooper, Managing Director
“…Crawford is a good fit for SSH Mining and our capability to support emerging Western Australian projects as they move through development and into operations.”
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What comes next
SSH and Cavalier will now work toward finalising commercial terms and progressing a binding HOA, followed by an MSA. The company has stated it will provide further updates as the parties progress toward definitive agreements.
The key point for investors: no binding commitment or revenue is confirmed until definitive agreements are executed. Preferred contractor status is a competitive milestone, but the conditionality means this is not yet a contracted revenue stream. The next updates will confirm whether SSH converts this LOI into a binding contract, and if so, on what commercial terms.
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