TNG appoints German giant for vanadium study, page-14

yep Abishai. I can see the delay pinch points. MMP , EIS for refinery, bedding down the component fixed price contracts, delays in connecting up infrastructure and other third party requirements,  and no doubt plenty more forseable and not forseable. In the ideal world wilt all the 

For me, way lsss risk of delays with SMS taking mandate on all stages or components of processing. 

IIdeal world. MMP (WHICH appears to me to not prohibit commencement of mine construction requires up front base data and regular reporting to assess environmental impacts as they go. Might increase OPEX with the required oversight and modification to Mine procedures but shouldn't get in the way of kick off.

EEIS for Refinery will take at least 6 months even if they get it right from the beginning. Possibly double tgat if the Draft EIS raises concerns. That includes the two month public consultation phase. If they working with NTEPA in their drafting and interpretation of Terms of Reference then they should be able to a dress all local issues. The refinery its self as they say is a bunch of industry known processes refined modified and put together.

SMS will know all the emission and waste issues that have had to be dealt with in Europe and elsewhere for the metallurgical processes and  titanium pigment  plants. There is a plethora of anecdotal material on environmental issues that have had to be addressed over the years, and international standards that have to be met. So no real surprises there, although that's not to say everyone wants such a refinery in there back yard.

iif construction can be largely modular and off site then they can get that underway deploying SMSs substantial existing staff and factory resources at the project, so being an optimist I reckon they could firstly start component construction pre EIS approval and at a pace not ever seen before in Aussie or NZ. I call on my work as a labourer in some of NZs think big energy projects in the 70s and 80s. You may recall how the boiler makers union ground construction to a half in NZ in the 70s. 

Any way I'm just throwing out an optimist sinario that in an ideal world can't be excluded. Diesntbsolve some problems that are yet to be addressed and doesn't validate the Vimson Ransom.