Ann: Wonarah Phosphate Project - Major Milestone , page-2

re: Ann: Wonarah Phosphate Project - Major Mi... WONARAH PHOSPHATE PROJECT MAJOR MILESTONE ATTAINED: ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT FAVOURABLY CONCLUDED

SUMMARY
The Northern Territory Minister for Natural Resources, Environment and Heritage has advised that the Environmental Impact Assessment process for the Wonarah Projects been concluded. Minemakers proposed DSO mining and ore transport operation can be managed without unacceptable environmental impact. Submission and approval of a Mining Management Plan and signing of the Mining Agreement with the Aboriginal landowners are now the only permitting stages requiring completion.
On April 30, the Minister stated: I have been advised that the Minemakers draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) and Supplement demonstrated a systematic, comprehensive, high quality approach to impact identification, analysis, reduction, mitigation (and in some cases offsets), that has generally left stakeholders and Government satisfied that potential issues have been appropriately identified and addressed.
It is now critical to the achievement of acceptable environmental outcomes that the mitigation measures and commitments / recommendations proposed by Minemakers and Assessment Report 64 are followed through to implementation. I trust Minemakers will take the same high standard approach to managing environmental impacts as it has to the environmental impact assessment process.

The Department has provided an Assessment Report on the planned DSO operation for the Project and this report included a series of recommendations governing environmental management issues. Minemakers will address these in the Mine Management Plan (MMP) which is currently being formulated.
The Company is now most pleased that its EIS was able to be formulated, assessed and approved in only 25 months since beginning fieldwork at Wonarah.
Managing Director Andrew Drummond commented: It is a tribute to the hard work and professionalism of the Companys management, its specialist environmental consultants and to the successful interaction with the officers of the Department that this major task was completed in such a relatively short time.
Submission and acceptance of the MMP, and conclusion of the Mining Agreement with the Aboriginal landowners, are now the only permitting tasks remaining. It is anticipated that they will be completed in the third quarter.