Partnering has come to prominence in the Australian construction industry in a formal sense this decade. The high level of disputation in the building and civil construction industries in the 1980s drove its development in both Australia and North America. Partnering's use has been most prominent in the construction industry, particularly in the civil and construction sectors of the industry. It has found favour in some mining development projects, one of the most notable being BHP Mineral's Cannington project in NW Queensland. This paper examines the requirements of successful partnering agreements and describes in detail the mine development partnering agreement at Cannington. In particular, the paper discusses the author's experience and recommendations for partnering to avoid contractual problems and achieve win - win project outcomes for all parties to major mining projects.