Fluor Corporation has announced that Compagnie des Bauxites de Guinée (CBG) awarded Fluor an engineering, procurement and construction management contract for the Bauxite Production Expansion Project in Kamsar, Guinea.

Fluor booked the $501 million contract value into backlog in the second quarter of 2016.

The project will expand bauxite production from 14.5 million to 18.5 million tons per year and is the company’s first of a planned three-phase expansion. The scope includes expansion of the mine infrastructure, rail system, port facility and processing plant infrastructure and utilities. Fluor has been involved since the project’s early stages executing the feasibility study and early engineering.

“Fluor has worked with CBG to develop a capital-efficient solution that combines delivery predictability and flexibility for maintenance and future expansions,” said Rick Koumouris, president of Fluor’s Mining & Metals business. “Given the project’s location and unique logistical challenges, Fluor will bring unmatched technical and execution expertise, as well as the requisite Guinea experience, to deliver this project safely, on schedule and on budget.”

The expansion is expected to complete in 2018. CBG is jointly owned by the Government of Guinea and the Halco Mining consortium, which includes Alcoa, Rio Tinto and Dadco Investments.