Proposed copper mine near Alice Springs gets major project...

Proposed copper mine near Alice Springs gets major project status, as support for Tennant Creek refinery grows

NT Country Hour
By Katrina Beavan


PHOTO: Copper exploration on Jervois Station in the Northern Territory started almost two years ago. (Supplied: KGL Resources)
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MAP: Alice Springs 0870

A potential copper mine north-east of Alice Springs has been given major project status by the Northern Territory Government.

The KGL Resources $190 million project on Jervois Station is expected to create more than 650 jobs if it goes ahead.
Key points:

• KGL Resources project on Jervois Station given major project status

Exploration on The Rockface discovery has been going for almost two years, with high grades of copper and silver continuing to show up.

Northern Territory Resources Minister Ken Vowles made the announcement at the second day of the Annual Geoscience Exploration Seminar in Alice Springs.

"[Major project status] is to pretty much facilitate that project through all the government bureaucracy … we hope this project continues because it means jobs for Territorians," he said.

"It's local businesses that will be involved in the contracts in supplying that contract."
EIS the next step for resources company

KGL Resources chairman Denis Wood estimated the project's environmental impact statement would be out by the end of the year, or early next year at the latest.

"It's quite feasible, but as we know when you embark on these environmental studies you're not sure on what you might or might not uncover," he said.

"But assuming that we get through that process, which will take 12 to 18 months from here [to finalise], we should be in a position about that time to commit to going forward."

Originally the company wanted to start the mine after discovery, but shareholders took over and wanted higher grades and more tonnes for a more robust project.

According to KGL, now that the grades are there, it just needs the tonnes.

"The grades we've been getting from this rock face underground potential have been sitting between 5, up to as high as 10 per cent," Mr Wood said.
"[They are] reasonable-sized grades with thicknesses suitable for underground mining purposes.
"It's an ore body that will potentially kickstart the whole mine process."

The company will aim to have the ongoing jobs stay local, but for the construction phase it might have to look further afield.

"I can't commit to the construction side because that's a specialised crew that will come in with contractors," Mr Wood said.

"But you would expect the majority of the operation, the 300 continued jobs, you would source as much locally as you can."


http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-03-29/major-project-status-for-outback-copper-project-nt/8398440