Metarock has flagged a significant number of redundancies within its ranks after Anglo American issued a notice to suspend the contractor’s services at the Grosvenor mine.

Metarock subsidiary Mastermyne has about 168 personnel engaged at the Grosvenor mine, the site of an underground fire that has seen mining halted for a month so far.

Anglo had advised that about 27 of these roles were expected to be required going forward, Metarock said.

‘The company anticipates that a significant number of redundancies are likely. The company is also seeking redeployment opportunities for its impacted employees,’ it said in a statement to the ASX.

With Anglo working to offer its own permanent Grosvenor workforce redeployment opportunities, Metarock believes this will also have an adverse impact on Mastermyne’s manning levels at other Bowen Basin operations.

It said Anglo had reconfirmed its commitment to paying embedded contractors’ personnel through to August 31.

Mastermyne’s work at Grosvenor had been expected to generate about $34 million in revenue for Metarock for the period from September 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025.

Meanwhile Anglo American said that of its own 500-plus permanent workers at Grosvenor, 85 per cent have been offered full-time work at other Anglo mines.

Related: Steady progress at Grosvenor as surface workers return

Queensland Resources and Critical Minerals Minister Scott Stewart provided an update during yesterday’s estimates committee hearings in State Parliament.

An ignition of methane was reported on June 29, when two Grosvenor mine workers observed an orange glow and flame present on the longwall tailgate area about 5.42 am, sparking an evacuation of the site.

“I am advised that work was done to seal the mine, but it is still too early to determine whether that mine will reopen or not. We do not want to create any false hope or anxiety at this stage,” Mr Stewart said.

He said Anglo had informed him that resources companies were working together like they had never seen before to assist the mine’s workforce.

Anglo American – Australia head of people, capability and organisation Ben Mansour said the company was continuing to work with its Grosvenor teams through redeployment opportunities or secondments, linked to their preferences, to its other Bowen Basin operations.

“In parallel, we have been working with industry bodies and peers through an industry forum to allow us to refer members of our embedded workforce for other career opportunities within the broader coal industry,” he said.

“During a meeting facilitated by the Queensland Resources Council with representatives from our mining sector peers, we have resolved to develop an online job listing hub to streamline access to current vacancies across the industry.”

Company chief executive Duncan Wanblad, speaking at a 2024 interim results presentation last week, said gas, temperature and drone monitoring at Grosvenor suggested that the fire had now been extinguished.

The company was developing plans with the authorities to examine the workplace in order to understand the cause and extent of the damage, he said.

“Now, having said that, we are unlikely to fully understand the extent of the damage for some time. We are committed to a full investigation alongside the relevant authorities,” Mr Wanblad said.

Related: Fire blow for Anglo American’s coal sell-off strategy

He said Anglo believed that Grosvenor mine remained a viable asset considering the relatively high value and quality of that steelmaking coal reserve.

Mr Wanblad indicated the company was moving ahead with the sale process of its Queensland coal assets as originally planned.

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