Developing Projects
The Northern Territory has a strong pipeline of developing mining projects, at various stages of the feasibility, approvals or financing process. This includes projects for a diverse range of commodities including copper, rare earths, lithium, gold, vanadium, titanium, tungsten, molybdenum, zinc, manganese, iron, diamonds, phosphate, potash and salt.
As of 29 July 2022, there were 21 projects in approvals processes. These projects represent a combined capital expenditure of $7.3 billion with the potential to create up to 5,400 jobs in construction and up to 4,100 jobs in operations.
View the list of Northern Territory Projects in Approvals.
View the Northern Territory Mineral Projects mapPDF (2.7 MB)
View the Potential Mining Developments report PDF (1.1 MB)
Recent mining developments
| Company | Project | Location | Product | Description |
Newmont Mining | Tanami Expansion 2 | Tanami | Gold | Mine expansion |
NRR Mining | Nathan River | Gulf | Iron Ore | Reopen mine |
ICA Mining | Peko Tailings | Tennant Creek | Fe, Au, Cu, Co | Reopen mine |
Core Lithium | Finniss (Grants) | Darwin | Lithium | New mine |
Details of pending mining developments (Next 12 months)
Company | Arafura Resources Limited |
Contact | Catherine Huynh – Company Secretary Michael Robinson – ESG Manager Phone: (08) 6370 2800 Email: arafura@arultd.com |
Location | 135 km northwest of Alice Springs |
Description | New mine. Open cut mining, beneficiation to a mineral concentrate and subsequent chemical processing to rare earth products for export. Additionally a merchant grade phosphoric acid product will be exported. |
Product | Rare earths & Phosphoric acid. |
Resource Reserve | 56 Mt containing 2.6% REO, 12% P2O5 29.5 Mt containing 2.9% REO, 13% P2O5 |
Mine Life | 38 years based on mining inventory. |
Approvals | Environmental –NT EIS assessment completed with NT EPA Assessment Report & Recommendations issued Dec 2017. Assessment completed by DoEE Canberra with approval issued in May 2018 (consistent with NT EPA recommendations). Section 14A variation (under the Environmental Assessment Act) assessment completed with NT EPA Statement of Reasons issued September 2019. Community – Native Title Agreement executed with Native Title Holders in June 2020. Mining – Project Mineral Leases granted July 2020. All major components of Mining Management Plan submitted to government in Dec 2021. |
Proposed Schedule | Targeting FID in H2 2022 with first production towards end of 2024. Construction – H2 2022, subject to approvals & finance Production – end 2024 |
Jobs | Construction – 620 Production – 280 (full time) |
Capex | A$1,056 Million (ASX 11 May 2021) |
Company | KGL Resources Limited |
Contact | Denis Wood – Executive Chairman Phone: (07) 3071 9003 Email: info@kglresources.com.au |
Location | Approx 380 kms by road north-east of Alice Springs |
Description | Development of the Jervois Copper Mine based on open cut and underground operation. Ore will be processed via conventional flotation processing facility to produce a copper concentrate Project undergoing further optimisation studies. PFS released Dec 2020 and Feasibility Study due in May-June 2022. |
Product | Copper concentrate with silver and gold credits. |
Resource Reserve | 22.87 Mt @ 2.04% Cu & 25.7 g/t Ag and 0.25g/t Au (containing 465,000 tonnes Cu, 18.9 million ounces Ag & 187,100 ounces Au) 9.4 Mt @ 2,41% Cu, 32.9 g/t Ag & 0.39 g/t Au |
Mine Life | Initial 7.5 years (Mine plan based on only 56% of Total Resource) envisaged from PFS. |
Approvals | Environmental - EIS submitted in Oct 2018. Supplement to EIS submitted July 2019. NT EPA recommendations for Project to proceed received 30 September 2019. Mining – Mining Management Plan approved and Authorisation granted in Jan 2021. Groundwater extraction licence granted April 2021 & surface water licence in July 2021. Some preliminary construction may commence H2 2022 prior to FID in H2 2022. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – H2 2022, subject to finance Production - Mid 2024 |
Jobs | Construction – 300 peak Production – 300 peak |
Capex | Initial Capex of $200M (from PFS Dec 2020) |
Company | Linecrest Pty Ltd |
Contact | Rodney Illingworth – Managing Director Phone: 0439 844 830 Email: rodney@rai.net.au |
Location | Approx 180 kms SE of Darwin and 25 kms NE of Pine Creek. |
Description | Reopen the Frances Creek Iron Ore Mine.to extract remnant ore from existing open pits. Conventional open pit mining with onsite crushing and screening of DSO and DSM material. No chemical processing or treatment will occur. Ore will be trucked to the nearby Frances Creek rail siding and railed to Darwin Port for export. |
Product | Iron ore lump and fines @ ~ 60% Fe at 1.5 Mtpa |
Resource | 23 Mt @ 53% Fe |
Mine Life | Initial mine life of 7 years |
Approvals | Environmental - 2006. Mining – subject to approval of MMP. Mining Management Plan (MMP) submitted in March 2022. Targeting MMP approval in Q3 2022. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – H2 2022 Production – H2 2022 |
Jobs | Construction – 50 Production – 150 |
Capex | US$5M. |
Mine Name | WARREGO REHABILITATION PROJECT |
Company | Northern Iron Pty Ltd |
Contact | Nathan Doab – Project Manager Phone: 0438 925 944 Email: nathan@northern-iron.com.au |
Location | Approx 50 kms NW of Tennant Creek |
Description | Reprocessing of the Warrego Tailings through excavation and processing through a wet magnetic separation plant to produce a magnetite concentrate. Non-magnetic tailings will be dewatered and deposited back into the existing tailings dams and rehabilitated. The process will reduce the tailings by approx. half of the original quantity. No chemical processing or treatment will occur. Magnetite concentrate will be trucked to Argyle Rail Siding (along the Warrego Road) and railed to Darwin Port for export. |
Product | Magnetite concentrate (high grade). |
Resource | 9.11 Mt of tailings (JORC 2004) containing 1.91 Mt Fe @ +67% |
Mine Life | 3-6 years |
Approvals | Mining Management Plan submitted in Feb 2022 and approved 8 June 2022. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – H2 2022, subject to finance Production – Q1 2023 |
Jobs | Construction – 20-30 Production – 30-40 |
Capex | $48M |
Company | Northern Territory Iron Ore Pty Ltd (NTIO) |
Contact | Chu Quang Vu – Director Email: vuquang@hoaphat.com.vn |
Location | 420 kms south-east of Darwin and 150 kms east of Mataranka. |
Description | Conventional open pit mining from Deposit C. On-site processing will involve conventional crushing and screening, to produce 1-2 Mtpa of saleable DSO. Ore will initially be transported by road and rail to Darwin Port for export. In 2023, a Dense Media Separation plant will be incorporated to produce an additional 1 Mtpa DMS product. The option of a future barging operation from the Roper River will also be assessed. |
Product | Iron Ore (1-5 Mtpa) |
Resource | >490 Mt @ 42% Fe, including >40 Mt @ 58% Fe. |
Mine Life | 25 years |
Approvals | Environmental –NTEPA in May 2014 & EPBC in April 2015. Mining – pending approval of Mining Management Plan (to be submitted Q4 2022) Potential barging operations will require further environmental assessment. Mining of Deposits W & X will require further environmental assessment. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction –Targeting H1 2023 Production – Targeting mid 2023 |
Jobs | Construction – 100 Production – 120 |
Capex | $312M (for stages 1, 2 & 3) |
Company | PNX Metals Limited |
Contact | James Fox – Managing Director & CEO Phone: (08) 8364 3188 Email: james.fox@pnxmetals.com.au |
Location | Approx 160 kms SSE of Darwin. |
Description | Re-open the historic Fountain Head mines to establish open cut mining operations based on conventional drill and blast mining techniques using excavators and haul trucks. Ore will be crushed, screened and processed using heap leach or CIL techniques. PNX have finalised a sale and purchase agreement for the Glencoe gold deposit located 3kms north of Fountain Head, Glencoe Mineral resource update released April 2021. Updated PFS for sequential development of Fountain Head and Hayes Creek Projects released in June 2021. |
Product | Gold dore |
Resource | 2.94 Mt @ 1.7 g/t gold (Fountain Head) 2.1 Mt @ 1.2 g/t gold (Glencoe) |
Mine Life | 5 years |
Approvals | Development proposals (NOI) submitted to NT EPA in December 2019. In March 2020, NT EPA determine EIS required. Terms of Reference for EIS issued by EPA in May 2020 and Draft EIS submitted in June 2021. Supplement submitted Nov 2021. Addendum to be submitted July 2022. Targeting enviro approvals H2 2022. Mining approvals dependent on environmental approvals. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2023 Production – 2024 |
Jobs | Construction – 50 Production – 134 |
Capex | $46M (ASX 20 Dec 2021) |
Company | Primary Gold Pty Ltd (wholly owned subsidiary of Hanking Australia Investment PL) |
Contact | Dr Mark Qiu – Managing Director & CEO Phone: 0424288016 Email: qiuym@hanking.com.au |
Location | Approx 90 kms east of Darwin |
Description | Reopening of the mine with development of underground and surface facilities, including refurbishment of existing process plant. The company is currently focused on optimising the integration of Toms Gully, Rustlers Roost and Quest 29. The optimisation study is being progressed to explore the synergies of all three mines collectively called the Mt Bundy Gold Project. The company continues doing regional exploration programs and is reviewing all past studies to update to todays economics and gold price. Subject to MMP approval, the company plans to commence underground and surface development and refurbishment operations in late 2022 or 2023. |
Product | Gold |
Resource | Global Resource 1.1 Mt @ 8.9g/t Au (315,000 ozs gold) Ore Reserve 775,000 tonnes at 6.9g/t Au (175,000 ozs gold) |
Mine Life | 5 years |
Approvals | Environmental - Final Assessment & recommendations from EPA in March 2020. Mining - MMP submitted Mar 2021. Additional info requested. Mining approvals targeting H2 2022. Toms Gully likely to be incorporated into Mt Bundy Project. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2022/23 Production – 2023/24 |
Jobs | Construction – 50 Production – 104 |
Capex | $62M |
Mine Name | NOBLES NOB |
Company | Tennant Consolidated Mining Group Pty Ltd |
Contact | Michael Tennant – Territory Manager Phone: 1800 879 028 Email: mtennant@tennantmining.com.au Rohan Erwin – Chief Operating Officer Phone: 1800 879 028 Email: rerwin@tennantmining.com.au |
Location | Approx 15 kms SE of Tennant Creek. |
Description | Reopening of the Nobles Nob mine for mining of remnant ore and higher-grade sections of waste rock dumps for onsite processing through an onsite 700,000 tpa CIL processing plant. After initial onsite mining and processing, the mine will become a central processing plant for regional gold deposits, which will require separate approvals. |
Product | Gold dore |
Resource | +515,000 ounces (including TCMG-ERM JV resources) |
Mine Life | 10 years |
Approvals | Environmental – Not required Mining Management Plan (MMP) submitted in March 2022. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – H2 2022 Production – H2 2023 |
Jobs | Construction – ~80 Production – ~160 |
Capex | $80M. |
Details of potential mining developments (Next 13-60 months)
Company | Avenira Limited (Minemakers Australia Pty Ltd) |
Contact | Brett Clark – Chairman Phone: (08) 9264 7000 Email: bclark@avenira.com |
Location | 250 kms east of Tennant Creek |
Description | Proposed open cut mine with processing on-site or Tennant Creek using a thermal phosphoric acid plant to battery phosphorous and fertilizer grade phosphoric acid and rock. Phased development producing sufficient battery grade phosphorous to supply a circa 100,000tpa LFP pre cursor cathode plant. |
Product | Iron Phosphate and Phosphoric acid |
Resource | 842 Mt @ 18.1% P2O5 (10% cut-off ); 1,406 Mt @ 13.5% P2O5 (5% cut-off ) |
Mine Life | >30 years |
Approvals | Environmental: June 2013 Mining – pending Mining Management Plan |
Proposed Schedule | Development schedule dependent on running parallel options of existing proven Thermal Phosphoric technology and validation of Novaphos IHP technology. Existing Thermal Phosphoric acid technology relies on “off the shelf” equipment and provides a low risk option. IHP technology has evolved in the last 2 years with introduction of a Radial Hearth Furnace and needs verification from a commercial production perspective. Scoping Study for Thermal Phosphoric Acid Plant with Phosphorous and Phosphoric Acid is due for completion Q3 2022. PFS due to commence H2 2022 and BFS due to commence in 2023 with FID in 2024. |
Jobs | Construction – Up to 200 Production – 110 rising to 350 at full production |
Capex | Estimated initial capital $350M (stage 1) increasing to $1.2B over 6 years. |
Company | Castile Resources Pty Ltd |
Contact | Mark Hepburn – Managing Director Phone: 08 9488 4480 Email: : mark.hepburn@castile.com.au |
Location | Approx 70 kms SW of Tennant Creek |
Description | The IOCG Rover 1 deposit will be the first mine to be developed in the Rover Mineral Field located to the south west of Tennant Creek. The Project will involve the development of an underground mine with onsite processing facility and associated infrastructure. Commencement of Pre-Feasibility Study in Mar 2020. Recent completion of resource drilling at Rover 1 will result in an upgraded Mineral Resource Estimate and release of the Pre-Feasibility Study in mid-2022. Environmental, geotechnical and metallurgical studies are in progress. |
Product | Gold Bullion, Copper Metal, Pure Cobalt Metal, and High Grade 96.6% Coal Washing Magnetite Product. (All products are for direct sale to “End Users”) |
Resource | 4.747 million tonnes @ 1.73 g/t Au, 1.63% Cu, 0.08% Co and 24.04% Magnetite. (JORC 2012) Updated Resource released Mar 2022, resulted in substantial upgrades to indicated resources of copper, gold & cobalt and maiden indicated resource of magnetite. |
Mine Life | To be determined upon completion of Pre-Feasibility Study. Current research data includes Processing Plant designed for 500,000 tpa with a minimum of 8 years. |
Approvals | Environmental –. Environmental studies in progress. Referral to be submitted in 2022 after release of Pre-Feasibility Study. Mining – Mining approvals subject to environmental approvals and MMP. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – TBA Production – TBA |
Jobs | Construction – 200 Production – 140 |
Capex | TBA |
Company | Core Lithium Limited |
Contact | Blair Duncan – Chief Operations Officer Phone: 0448 883 204 Email: bduncan@corelithium.com.au |
Location | Approx 38 kms SSW of Darwin and 5.8 kms SSE of Grants mine |
Description | BP33 (stage 2 of the Finniss Project) is a proposed underground mine involving a box-cut portal to a depth of 60-70m and construction of approx. 2150 metres of decline to access mine production levels over a four year mine life. Ore will be transported approx. 7.5 kms along a purpose built haul road to the Grants open pit mine and processing plant. No chemical processing is required. |
Product | Pegmatite concentrate (6.0% Li2O). |
Ore Reserve | 10.6 million tonnes @ 1.3% Li2O. (ASX: 12/07/2022) |
Mine Life | Approx 12 years |
Approvals | Environmental – The Notice of Intent was submitted in April 2020 and in September 2020 the EPA determined that the project would be assessed as a Supplementary Environmental Report under the new Environment Protection Regulations. Mineral Lease ML 32346 granted Jan 2021. SER submitted Nov 2021 & approved May 2022 Mining – Mining approvals subject to approval of MMP submitted June 2022. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2024/25 Production – 2025/26 |
Jobs | Construction – 60 Production – 125-150 (for Finniss Project) |
Capex | $33.79M |
Company | Enova Mining Limited (formerly Crossland Strategic Metals Limited) |
Contact | Eric Vesel – CEO/Executive Director Phone: +60199887931 (Malaysia) Email: contact@enovamining.com +61419802839 (Aust) |
Location | Approx. 95 km WNW of Alice Springs |
Description | Potential new mine. Open cut mining & processing of rare earth minerals from alluvial sands using a wet concentrator and dry separation processes to produce concentrates for leach extraction, with further potential to mine and process in situ weathered rock below the sands. Planned products include scandium and the refinement of rare earth mixed product to extract rare-earth group products onsite. |
Product | Rare earths and scandium oxide products and possibly other heavy mineral by-products. |
Resource | Resource estimate released in 2013 (not currently 2012 JORC compliant) |
Mine Life | Scoping Study released in 2013 based on 20 years + (additional potential) |
Approvals | Development proposals yet to be submitted. |
Proposed Schedule | Drilling program completed in March 2019.Since 2020 the company has completed laboratory hydrometallurgical tests to assess leach extraction of rare earth and scandium metals. As of June 2022, further leach test work is planned with a drilling program in Aug 2022 to recover bulk samples to validate gravity separation processes. Specialist consultants have developed an interim resource model. Assessment of this model awaits metallurgical test work and process concept as required for completion of a study establishing Reasonable Prospects for Eventual Economic Extraction (RPEEE) as required by JORC 2012. Resource estimate for an integrated gravity and leaching processing concept is expected to be complete by late-2022 & Scoping Study in 2023 (subject to finance). Refer ASX 29 April 2022. |
Jobs | 150 |
Capex | $250M |
Company | Agnico Eagle Mines Ltd – NT Mining Operations Pty Ltd |
Contact | To Be Advised Phone: TBA Email: TBA |
Location | Approx 175 kms south-east of Darwin and 20 kms north of Pine Creek. |
Description | Proposed underground mining operation with onsite processing at existing Union Reefs processing plant. Mining of mineralised trends below the previously mined Union North, Prospect, Lady Alice and Crosscourse Pits. Underground operations will be accessed via a portal and decline from within the existing Prospect Pit. Ore will be processed at existing Union Reefs processing plant. |
Product | Gold dore. |
Ore Reserve | Initially 276,089 tonnes containing 39,232 ozs gold. |
Mine Life | Initially 2 years |
Approvals | Environmental –The EIS was submitted on 25 November 2019 and the NT EPA completed the assessment process with release of the Environmental Assessment Report on 26 June 2020. Federal environmental approval was issued on 28 September 2020. Mining – subject to approval of Mining Management Plan (yet to be submitted). |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2023/24 (TBC) Production – 2024/25 (TBC) |
Jobs | Construction – 16-20 Production – 80 |
Capex | To be advised |
Company | Korab Resources Limited |
Contact | Andrej Karpinski – Executive Chairman Phone: (08) 9474 6166 Email: akk@korab.com.au |
Location | Approx 70 kms south of Darwin and 2 kms east of Batchelor. |
Description | Magnesium metal production – potential shallow open pit mining operation with on-site processing, crushing, screening, sorting, kiln calcining, magnesium metal production in a DSC electric arc furnace and magnesium metal refining. Magnesium Carbonate DSO production - potential shallow open pit mining operation with on-site processing through simple crushing, screening and sorting. Ore will be trucked to Darwin port for export. Results of the Scoping Study for production of 50,000 tonnes per year of magnesium metal, magnesium carbonate ore and Dead Burned Magnesia released March 2022. Results of the Feasibility Study into production of magnesium carbonate ore and magnesium oxides (Dead Burned Magnesia (DBM) and Caustic Calcined Magnesia (CCM)) released in Jan 2015 and updated in Mar 2018, Sept 2018 and April 2019. |
Product | Magnesium Metal, DBM, CCM, Magnesite (Magnesium Carbonate) DSO |
Resource | 16.6 Mt @ 43.2% MgO |
Mine Life | Magnesium metal Scoping Study based on 14 years at mining rate of 870,000 t. DSO Pre-Feasibility Study based on 300,000 tpa for 10yrs or 600,000 tpa for 5 yrs. |
Approvals | Development proposals yet to be submitted. Development subject to environmental and mining approvals. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2023 Production – 2024/25 |
Jobs | Construction – TBA Production – Up to 120 |
Capex | Magnesium metal production - $409-422M (from Scoping Study). Magnesium Carbonate (DSO) - $2.5M (from Pre-Feasibility Study). |
Company | Lucapa Diamond Company Limited |
Contact | Stephen Wetherall – Managing Director Phone: 08 9381 5995 Email: : general@lucapa.com.au |
Location | Approx 720 kms SE of Darwin |
Description | Reopen the Merlin Diamond mine site. The proposal will involve open pit mining and expansion of all existing open-cut pits via conventional load and haul methods. In all cases the open pit mining will be extending the depth of existing open pits, except for the Bedevere pipe which has not been mined previously. At the completion of open pit mining, a vertical pit mining method will be used. The vertical pits will be mined to a maximum depth of 125m below the base of the open pit. A new processing plant will be constructed on the old plant site. Scoping Study released in Dec 2021 and Feasibility Study due in Q3 2022. |
Product | Diamonds (average of 153,000 carats/annum) |
Resource | 27.7 million tonnes @ 16 carats per tonne for 4.354 million carats (JORC 2012) |
Mine Life | 14 years |
Approvals | Environmental – Referral to NT EPA in Q3 2022 after release of Feasibility Study. Mining – Mining approvals subject to environmental approvals and MMP. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2023 Production – 2024 |
Jobs | Construction – 120+ Production – 200 + |
Capex | $96M (Pre-production capex) plus $48M (Post-commissioning capex) |
Company | PNX Metals Limited |
Contact | James Fox – Managing Director & CEO Phone: (08) 8364 3188 Email: james.fox@pnxmetals.com.au |
Location | Approx 170 kms SSE of Darwin |
Description | Re-open the historic Iron Blow and Mt Bonnie mines to establish open cut and underground mining operations and a regional 450,000 tpa processing plant at Fountain Head mine site. Scoping Study completed Mar 2016 & Preliminary Feasibility Study completed in July 2017.Updated PFS for sequential development of Fountain Head and Hayes Creek Projects released in June 2021. |
Product | Zinc in concentrate, Precious Metals in concentrate |
Resource | 4.15Mt @ 4.4% zinc, 2.03 g/t gold, 128 g/t silver, 1% lead and 0.3% copper for contained metals of 182Kt zinc, 271Koz gold, 17.1Moz silver, 41Kt lead & 12Kt copper. |
Mine Life | 6.6 years |
Approvals | Development proposals (NOI) submitted to NT EPA in August 2018. In Dec 2018, NT EPA determine EIS required. Terms of Reference for EIS issued by EPA on 2 August 2019 and Draft EIS scheduled for submission in Q2 2020. EPBC referral submitted in Feb 2019 and determined as “Not a Controlled Action”. NOI submitted to NT EPA in Dec 2019 for priority development of open pit mining and gold processing at Fountain Head. Hayes Creek Project to be developed sequentially after Fountain Head Project. Mining approvals dependent on environmental approvals. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2025/26 Production – 2026/27 |
Jobs | Construction – 150 Production - 130 |
Capex | Approximately $65M (PFS June 2021) |
Company | Primary Gold Pty Ltd |
Contact | Dr Mark Qiu – Managing Director & CEO Phone: 0424288016 Email: : qiuym@hanking.com.au |
Location | Approx 100 kms SE of Darwin |
Description | Reopen the Rustlers Roost and Quest 29 mine sites. The proposal will involve open-cut mining and expansion of all existing open-cut pits via conventional truck and shovel methods. A new open pit called Annie Oakley 800m to the west of Rustlers Roost will be added to the project. The mine sites are approx. 11 kms apart. Ore from both sites will be processed at a conventional Carbon in Leach processing facility located at Rustlers Roost site to produce gold bullion. Feasibility Study updated Nov 2021. Ore will be processed at a rate of 4.5 million tonnes per annum over a 12 year mine life. |
Product | Gold dore |
Resource | 109 million tonnes @ 0.9 g/t Au for 3.0 million ozs (Mar 2022) |
Mine Life | 12 years |
Approvals | Environmental –Draft EIS submitted to NT EPA in Nov 2021.In Feb 2022 the EPA advised of further information for the Supplementary EIS. Supplementary EIS to be submitted in June 2022. Mining – Mining approvals subject to environmental approvals and MMP. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2023 Production – 2024 |
Jobs | Construction – 100+ Production – 210 |
Capex | $350M |
Company | South 32 Pty Ltd (GEMCO) |
Contact | DK Mukhopadhyay Email: RRGovernance@South32.net |
Location | Approx 650 kms SE of Darwin |
Description | Develop a number of additional quarries on the Eastern Leases, approx. 2 kms east of the existing mine. Ore will be trucked to the existing GEMCO mine facilities for processing and exported from the existing Milner Bay port. |
Product | Manganese ore |
Resource | The Mineral Resource within the Eastern Leases is reported as part of the total Mineral Resource for GEMCO and is published in the Annual Report at www.south32.net |
Mine Life | Eastern Leases will extend the current operational mine life by 4 years. |
Approvals | NT Environmental Assessment completed in March 2016. Commonwealth EPBC approvals obtained in June 2016. ALRA Mining Agreement obtained in May 2016. Mineral Leases granted in August 2016. NT Aboriginal Sacred Sites Act Authority Certificate obtained in November 2016. Mining Management Plan submitted in Sept 2021 and approved Feb 2022. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – TBA Production – TBA |
Jobs | Construction – TBA Production – Existing Workforce |
Capex | TBA – ($160M from 2015 EIS) |
Company | Tellus Holdings Ltd www.tellusholdings.com.au |
Contact | Mr Nate Smith – Chief Executive Officer Phone: (02) 8257 3395 Email: info@tellusholdings.com.au |
Location | Approx 120 kms south of Alice Springs |
Description | New mine and hazardous waste facility. Development of an underground rock salt mine for industrial and edible salt and using the voids resulting from mining for secure long term storage of equipment and archives recovery of valuable materials and permanent isolation of difficult to manage wastes including hazardous chemical wastes as listed under the NT Schedule 2 of the Waste Management Pollution Control Regulations. A surface storage and transfer facility will support operations at the Chandler Facility. Surface facilities include dry salt processing plant, offices, workshops, utilities services and an onsite accommodation. PFS (FEL2) completed in Q3 CY2016.Subject to the outcome of further negotiations regarding the Project’s Indigenous Land Use Agreement, all future work and capital expenditure is currently on hold. If an ILUA is reached, the Tellus Board will consider the remaining Project risks before approving future capital expenditure. |
Product | Industrial and edible salts; Storage of equipment and archives; and Long term storage, recovery and permanent isolation of difficult to manage hazardous chemical wastes. |
Resource | 309 Mt Halite (NaCl) JORC Measured Resource = 525 year mine life at an average of 500,000 tonnes per annum. |
Mine Life | Minimum 25 years with potential to exceed 100 years |
Approvals | Environmental – NT environmental assessment process completed on 30 November 2017. Federal EPBC Act approvals issued 11 September 2018. Project section 14A Amendment approved by NT EPA in June 2020. Mining – Pending all environmental approvals, FEL 3 & Mining Management Plan. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction (Chandler Mine) – On hold until further notice; Temporary storage at Chandler mine site –On hold until further notice Production – H1 CY2026 |
Jobs | Construction – 270 Production – 150 to 180 |
Capex | $676M (including financing costs) |
Company | Thor Mining PLC |
Contact | Nicole Galloway Warland – Managing Director Phone: (08) 7324 1935 Email: corporate@thormining.com |
Location | 240 kms northeast of Alice Springs |
Description | Proposed open pit mining operation with on-site processing by flotation to produce W and Mo concentrate. Definitive Feasibility Study upgrade completed in August 2018. Letter of Intent signed for tungsten offtake. Development subject to finance. Additional drilling being undertaken to increase resource and mine life. |
Product | Tungsten (scheelite) and Molybdenum concentrates. |
Resource | 4.7Mt at 0.28% WO3 and 0.13% Mo (indicated and inferred) Plus Bonya Tungsten deposits (740,000T @ 0.21% WO3 and 0.09% Cu) Bonya Copper deposit (230,000t @ 2%Cu – Inferred) (40% Thor) |
Reserve | Open cut Ore Reserve of 3.5 Mt at 0.29% WO3 and 0.12% Mo (probable) |
Mine Life | Initially 7 year as open pit, with substantial upside potential from subsequent underground potential and from nearby outcropping Bonya tungsten resources, and copper resource at Bonya. |
Approvals | Environmental – Nov 2011 Mining – pending approval of MMP |
Proposed Schedule | Development subject to obtaining project finance and securing the balance of concentrate off-take agreements. Construction – 2023 Production – 2024 |
Jobs | Construction – 60 Production – 70 |
Capex | $69M |
Company | TNG Limited |
Contact | Paul Burton – Managing Director Phone: (08) 9327 0900 Email: peb@tngltd.com.au |
Location | 235 kms north of Alice Springs |
Description | Integrated open pit mining and processing operation at Mount Peake Site. TNG’s proprietary TIVAN processing technology developed to produce high purity vanadium titanium and iron products. Definitive Feasibility Study completed July 2015 and updated in November 2017. Optimised delivery strategy released September 2019. FEED completed by SMS Group 2021 with value engineering being undertaken by Clough Projects Australia. Vertically integrated project and operation with all processing to final high value product taking place on the granted Mount Peake Leases. |
Product | High purity Vanadium (99% V2O5), Titanium Pigment & Iron oxide (+64%). |
Resource | 160Mt @ 0.3% V2O5, 5% TiO2, 23% Fe (120Mt Measured JORC) |
Mine Life | 37 years |
Approvals | NT Environmental Assessment Report and Recommendations in January 2018. Federal EPBC environmental approval in May 2018. All Mineral Leases and Access Authorities for the Mount Peake Mine and infrastructure were granted in November 2018. Mining Management Plan submitted Nov 2020. Federal Major Project Status awarded March 2021. A revised EIS & Mining Management Plan, for the integrated site is in progress. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – Under review Production – Under review |
Jobs | Construction – up to 1800 Production – up to 1200 |
Capex | Under review for the onsite integrated mine and downstream processing facility. |
Company | Verdant Minerals Ltd |
Contact | Chris Tziolis – Managing Director Phone: (08) 8942 0385 Email: ctziolis@verdantminerals.com.au |
Location | 220 kms SE of Tennant Creek |
Description | New mine – open cut strip mining operations with crushing and screening to produce Phosphate Rock for conversion to phosphoric acid for the manufacture of ammonium phosphate fertilizers. Bankable Feasibility Study (DSO) was completed in May 2018. Takeover by CD Capital in June 2019 & company privatised – currently assessing ammonium phosphate production option. |
Product | 1,000,000 tpa Ammonium Phosphate |
Resource | Global Resource of 1.145 billion tonnes @ 14% P2O5 (10% cut-off) or 338 Mt @ 18% P2O5 (15% cut-off) Measured Resource of 138 Mt @ 15.7% P2O5 (10% cut-off) |
Mine Life | 25 years plus (Potentially as much as 100 years) |
Approvals | Environmental – Oct 2018 (NT) & June 2018 (Federal) for rock phosphate project. A variation to the Project for production of ammonium phosphate is now required. Mining – pending grant of Mineral Leases & approval of Mining Management Plan. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2024 Production – 2027 |
Jobs | Construction – 1000 Production – 250 |
Capex | Estimate $2 Billion |
Company | Vista Gold Australia Pty Ltd |
Contact | Brent Murdoch – Director & General Manager Australia Phone: (08) 8941 9105 Email: bmurdoch@mttodd.com.au |
Location | 250 kms south of Darwin and 55 kms north of Katherine |
Description | Reopen the Mt Todd Gold Mine. Conventional open pit mining extracting up to 17.8 million tonnes per annum of ore for onsite processing through newly constructed CIL Plant. Prefeasibility Study and NT Environmental Impact Statement completed. Federal approval under the EPBC Act was granted in Jan 2018. An update of the Prefeasibility Study was completed in Jan 2018. The Mt Todd Agreement between the NT Government and Vista Gold has been extended until 2023. A further update of the Pre-Feasibility Study released in Sep 2019. Feasibility Study released Feb 2022. |
Product | Gold dore (av. 395,000 ozs pa) |
Resource | 7.4 million ozs of measured and indicated and 1.7 million ozs of inferred |
Mine Life | 23 years (including 2 years construction plus 5 years closure/reclamation) |
Approvals | Environmental – June 2014 (NT), Federal EPBC approvals issued Jan 2018. Mining – MMP approval in June 2021. Finance and FID in H2 2022. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2023/24 Production – 2025/26 |
Jobs | Construction – up to 450 Production – 400 |
Capex Initial | US$892M (from Feasibility Study Feb 2022) |
Company | Winchelsea Mining Pty Ltd |
Contact | Mark Hewitt – CEO Winchelsea Mining Phone: TBA Email: mhewitt@wmining.com.au |
Location | Approx 650 kms SE of Darwin and 50 kms off the eastern coast of Arnhem Land. |
Description | Conventional open pit strip mining utilising excavators and dump trucks. Ore will be hauled by dump trucks to mobile crushing and screening units for processing and then to stockpiles adjacent to the barge loading facility. Fine product will be stockpiled in an enclosed shed and lump/coarse product will be stored in the open adjacent to the fines storage shed. Product will be reclaimed by front-end loader and fed onto a conveyor to the BLF where manganese will be loaded on to barges and transhipped to Handymax vessels in the offshore anchorage location. |
Product | Lump and fine manganese ore |
Resource | 18.5 million tonnes @ 20.9 % Mn (Nov 2020 JORC Report) – update due July 2022 |
Mine Life | Estimated mine life of 12 years |
Approvals | Environmental – Referral submitted to EPA in Dec 2020 and a variation to the Referral submitted in May 2021. The EPA require EIS in Aug 2021 with TOR issued in Nov 2021. EIS is well underway and due to be completed and ready for submission in 2022. Mining Agreement between the Anindilyakwa Land Council and Winchelsea Mining was completed in April 2021. Mineral Lease 32704 was granted on 25 Mar 2022 for a period of 30 years. Mining – Mining approvals are subject to environmental approvals and MMP. |
Proposed Schedule | Construction – 2023 Production – 2024 |
Jobs | Construction – 100 Production – 55 plus 100 personal support services staff |
Capex | $100M |