The 50/50 joint venture alliance between BHP Group and Mitsubishi Development formed in 2001 has achieved a record spend with Indigenous businesses this past financial year.

The BMA community contribution report for the year ending 2024 showed A$8.1 billion was spent with its suppliers across Queensland, including the record $80m with Indigenous and Traditional Owner businesses, and more than $1.6 billion with local entities.

Growth in both quality and quantity of opportunities for Traditional Owner and Indigenous businesses resulted in an 80 per cent year on year jump in Indigenous spend.

Driven by its Reconciliation Action Plan, BHP Mitsubishi Alliance (BMA) said it remained committed and was confident the growth would continue through sustainable relationships built with Indigenous businesses.

One of BMA's major Indigenous partnerships was with 3BB Contracting, a Barada Barna Aboriginal Corporation business currently providing rehab services at BMA's Goonyella Riverside and Saraji mines.

They have a crew of more than 40 workers, with 45 per cent of them Barada Barna people.

3BB managing director Nicole Muller said the businesses had already doubled the crew it started with.

"So it's been an amazing opportunity for us, she said.

"Words can't describe how we're feeling about the process of 3BB growing in such a short time and building our capability within the rehab scope.

"BHP has allowed us to build that by securing some of these contracts that we have with them.

"Our focus is to make sure that 3BB is set up to generate revenue back to our charitable trust that services all our descendants.

"We've got over a thousand descendants, so it actually helps with the social policies.

"BHP have given 3BB a lot of opportunities.

"It's part of our cultural duty to look after the land. We aim to rehab that land back to what it used to look like or similar. There's a great sense of pride in being able to do that."

BMA asset president Adam Lancey said partnerships with communities were among the most important.

"Our success as a business is reliant on achieving long-term social, environmental and economic outcomes in partnership with the communities where we operate, and that is what we strived to achieve in FY2024" he said.

"We are immensely proud of our positive contribution to society made by the people and businesses all along the supply chain from supporting education, skills and training across all stages of learning, to providing community grants for local events and initiatives, and funding programs and partnerships.

"The mining industry faced many challenges this year from weather impacts to inflationary pressures, and of course Government's policy and fiscal settings, which continues to impact future investment in Queensland.

"Notwithstanding the challenges and change to our business, our commitment to the communities we are a part of remains steadfast."

BHP and BMA's Community Contribution Report can be viewed in full online.