REAL PEOPLE, REAL RESULTS, REAL ADVICE
AVAILABILITY, UTILISATION, AND RATE DONE IN ALLIANCE
As a mining operations partner with a bespoke operating model, AURA Mining delivers specialist solutions for real partnerships. Jason Economidis, Managing Director, tells us more about the company’s niche services
Writer:
Lauren Kania | Project Manager: Thomas Arnold
With a proven track record, strong foundational values, and a deeply connected network, AURA Mining (AURA) is the industry’s go-to leader in full-service mining operations, having proudly showcased its ability to achieve superior safety, productivity, and profitability for its varied clients.
“We value delivery, not flashy pitches, and pride ourselves on doing what we say we will,” introduces Jason Economidis, Managing Director.
AURA relies on its team of people who have long histories of delivering unparalleled results in difficult circumstances, alongside a network of partners to draw upon, based on strong working relationships.
CAN YOU EXPAND UPON YOUR SUPPLY CHAIN OPERATIONS AND HOW THESE PARTNERSHIPS ARE CRUCIAL TO AURA’S SUCCESS?
Jason Economidis, Managing Director: “Our supply chain is well-established through our suite of companies, and we have a very active office in Brisbane, Australia, where we provide all of our commercial support activities from.
“Partner and supplier relationships are critical to the success of AURA and our partners. As an example, we don’t have the balance sheet to buy significant mining equipment, which makes our partnership with Emeco, an Australian Securities Exchange (ASX)-listed company, a critical one to enable our full model.”
It also has relationships with significant businesses that enable AURA to be more than the sum of its parts.
“What sets us apart is our preferred commercial model, which enables our clients to have better visibility, greater input, and lower costs,” details Economidis.
Through these differentiators, the company cements itself as an industry stalwart. To further expand and specialise its offerings, AURA has two arms to its business – AURA Mining and AURA Advisory.
The advisory work came to the company via its deep experience across open-cut, underground, coal, metals, processing, and logistics in Australia and overseas. This acts as lead-in work for the company to grow its mining business if an acquisition proves successful.
“In eight short months, we have been involved in
eight due diligence processes to assist potential buyers in acquisition risks and opportunities,” Economidis informs.
AURA is also involved in several consortia to acquire mines, working with investors, debt funders, and marketers to acquire and run assets. It has worked in multiple jurisdictions, including the UK, Canada, the US, and Australia, initially focused on coal; the commodity mix is increasing quickly.
The company’s clients are varied but tend to be major financial institutions, administrators, coal traders, and mine and power station owners.
“As we have a track record in improving operations and reducing costs – often in very trying circumstances – we continue to work side-by-side with our partners to seek opportunities where we can create value as a collective,” expands Economidis.
AURA’s main service will always be to lead and improve operations
whilst working on acquisitions and transitions as an operator, advisor, and active participant.
DELIVERING VALUE
Born in Mount Isa – a pure mining town – Economidis was brought up surrounded by the industry since before he could even walk.
“My father was a dragline operator, so I was around heavy equipment from a young age, and there is a DVD of me at nine months old visiting him at work in Biloela for lunch with my mother, brother, and sister,” he details.
Later, he went to school in mining towns at Charters Towers and Middlemount, where the goal of most of the class was to obtain a role in the mines. From there, Economidis got a job at 18 as an underground miner with a contractor and soon saw his career blossom.
Having worked his way through a plethora of different roles across the
“AURA stands for ‘Availability, Utilisation, and Rate done in Alliance’ – this is the basis of our offering”
– JASON ECONOMIDIS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, AURA MINING
globe, Economidis eventually found himself as COO at South32, leading the Australian business and global planning.
“This was a huge role with nearly 7,000 employees and contractors, five mines, five processing plants, one refinery, and four ports across three states and one territory of Australia,” he expands.
“When South32 sold the coal business in 2024, I was asked to join the new company as CEO. I led the transition and decided that at the back-end of my career, I wanted to spend time doing what I love, with
people I value, improving operations, so we formed AURA in August 2025.”
Having spent his life in the mining industry, Economidis has seen it evolve greatly over the years.
Specifically, coal faced heavy criticism as a fossil fuel, which made it difficult to secure funding and insurance. This led major companies to abandon coal and transfer the assets to smaller international investors. Such a shift has significantly changed the industry’s structure, resulting in many operations closing and others struggling to keep their heads above water.
“Currently, the demonisation of coal and, to a lesser extent, mining and resources, seems to have taken a back seat. Money is now abundant for the right deal, in the right commodity, in the right jurisdiction, with the right
AURA SERVICES
• Mine operation, leadership, and management
• Performance optimisation
• Maintenance management
• Technical services
• Health, safety, and training
• Commercial and procurement
• Plant and equipment
• Rail and port, refinery and processing
“We value delivery, not flashy pitches, and pride ourselves on doing what we say we will”
– JASON ECONOMIDIS, MANAGING DIRECTOR, AURA MINING
opportunity to exploit the upsides,” explains Economidis.
“The mergers and acquisitions (M&A) activity in the mining industry today is bordering on manic, with new players emerging and traders starting to take a front seat in acquisitions.”
SUPERIOR OUTCOMES
AURA’s twofold model allows it a unique way of operating. In addition to the alliance model, there is the non-exclusive, first preference partner model.
“What this means is that most operations have one or all of the
services provided by our partners. By way of example, as we lead a business, if a client requires equipment, we prefer Emeco as our first preference; if a client has their own equipment, we are comfortable operating it as AURA,” Economidis details.
Ultimately, AURA works towards achieving superior safety, productivity, and profitability in every endeavour it embarks upon.
The company achieves this through its own systems and processes for mine management and leadership, starting with its mine operating
Milray Contracting is a North Queensland-based civil and mining construction company servicing several mining clients.
Milray is committed to creating a zero-harm workplace and has a 3rd Party ISO accredited Health, Safety, Environment and Quality System.
www.milray.com.au
Core business activities include:
• Mine tailings dam construction and lifts, exploration earthworks and support and mine rehabilitation Crushing/screening of gravel and mining products
• Mine ore transport
• Earthworks, pavement, unsealed/ sealed road and drainage construction In-situ lime, cement and dust suppression stabilisation
• Powerline and renewable energy civil infrastructure
Main Office: 07 4787 8366
Email: admin@milray.com.au
Shane Meteyard – Managing Director: 0427 876 454
Peter Bell – Operations Manager: 0499 773 404
system. Not only is it tried and tested, but it is the cornerstone of how AURA leads any improvement or activity.
From here, profitability stems, whilst the company also has processes for identifying and securing genuine savings in different time horizons.
“We have a deep belief in our obligation to provide a safe workplace, and our key premise is that our people know their work best,” asserts Economidis.
AURA’s role as a company is to make it easy for its employees to do the right thing. This is based on having competent workers who are accountable for their decisions and actions, which ties directly into what the company stands for.
“AURA stands for ‘Availability, Utilisation, and Rate done in Alliance’ – this is the basis of our offering,” he explains.
A FORMATIVE FUTURE
Crucial to AURA’s continued growth and innovation are the people who make up its workforce.
With a wealth of experience and a relentless commitment to success, the company’s team is the driving force behind its integrated mining operations.
“Our success is through our people. There is nothing of worth that can be created unless you have good people, a trusted environment, and the resources to enable them to grow,” acknowledges Economidis.
The company’s model is simple –it provides clear expectations, the required resources, and ongoing feedback to ensure it continues to improve and deliver. Recognition and reward are natural positive consequences of delivery, and what gets rewarded gets repeated. This is the mindset and workplace environment encouraged for the 700 employees across AURA’s
suite of companies.
Equally, as the business looks ahead to paving the way for the future of the ever-critical mining industry, its key priority in 2026 is to further grow its business partnerships in order to secure long-term or life-of-mine (LOM) contracts.
AURA is also looking to continue delivering the most practical and bankable advisory services possible to partners and clients seeking opportunities in the mining sector.
“2026 will be a formative year for AURA, and we are very excited for what will unfold,” Economidis confidently concludes. info@auramining.com.au
info@auramining.com.au auramining.com.au