The final figure exceeded estimates.

Redpath painted an excavator bright pink and donated $10 dollars for every hour that it worked at the mine.

BHP contributed $10,000 to the initiative and the mine’s employees were encouraged to purchase pink workwear.

Redpath Australia marketing manager Rhiannon Vines said the company was surprised at the huge response from employees, their family and friends.

“They were extremely supportive of the cause and many went above and beyond organising their own events and getting friends involved,” she said.

“For example, one employee’s wife knitted and sold pink personalised beanies during winter.

“Our employees understand the impact breast cancer can have on families, and many have a loved one affected by breast cancer.

“They showed no hesitation in donning pink outfits and opening their wallets to support research.”

National Breast Cancer Foundation CEO Carole Renouf said the organisation was thrilled by the support.

“We are thrilled that the mining sector recognises the importance of funding further research into this devastating disease,” she said.

“We are very grateful to Redpath and BHP Billiton Cannington for helping us move one step closer to our goal of zero deaths from breast cancer by 2030,” she said.

BHP asset president Laura Tyler said the decision to focus all of Cannington’s fundraising efforts on a single charity in 2013 aimed to generate greater awareness and a more significant donation for the NBCF.

“In the past, Cannington has spread its fundraising ventures across a number of charities but while every bit helps, we hoped that a more concentrated fundraising effort would make a bigger difference” she said.

“The National Breast Cancer Foundation was chosen because it’s so well-recognised and has impacted many of our lives. Like the rest of Australia, many of our employees, contractors and neighbouring communities are impacted by this terrible disease.”

In support of the fundraising campaign, Redpath also supplied all its employees at Cannington with information packs about breast cancer, its early symptoms, detection and key statistics.

The initiative was supported by DuPont Performance Coatings and Brisbane Refinish Supplies, which supplied the paint and labour to paint the excavator pink, and Riverina Workwear, which supplied the pink workwear and donated $3 to NBCF for every article of clothing sold and $2 for every hardhat.

Last year Redpath painted a 60-tonne truck blue in Western Australia to raise awareness for mental health charity Beyond Blue.