The work begins in February 2021 and involves Redpath bringing in maintenance, management and operational crews to create part of Venetia's integrated operations team as the operation evolves from open-cut to underground mining.

The company did not indicate the length of the contract.

De Beers' Venetia is 500 kilometres north of Johannesburg, home of the Redpath South Africa headquarters. It is scheduled to begin production in 2022 and ramp up to full production in 2025.

It is projected, according to company data, to treat about 132 million tonnes of underground material containing 100 million carats.