Premier Mike Rann today announced that the WPG Resources? Iron...

Premier Mike Rann today announced that the WPG Resources? Iron Ore mine at Peculiar Knob is to become South Australia?s 17th approved mine.

http://www.premier.sa.gov.au/images/stories/mediareleasesJUL11/peculiar%20knob.pdf

STATE?S 17th MINE DECLARED AT PECULIAR KNOB
Premier Mike Rann today announced that the WPG Resources? Iron Ore mine at Peculiar Knob is to become South Australia?s 17th approved mine.
The mine, south east of Coober Pedy, is expected to create about 180 jobs during the construction phase and about 250 jobs when the mine begins production.
WPG Resources also gained approvals for an iron ore receival, storage and export facility to be constructed at Port Pirie.
Premier Rann said site work at Peculiar Knob will begin before the end of the month with WPG committing $250 million for the construction phase.
?Peculiar Knob will provide a big boost to the region in term of jobs, infrastructure and investment.?
?We have another 30 mining projects in the pipeline nearing final approval with more than 100 further prospects moving through the exploration and approval system,? he said.
Mr Rann said the success of South Australia?s mining industry had not happened by accident, but through decisions taken by the State Government.
?We have developed nation?s best exploration scheme in PACE 2020.
?The PACE scheme has already seen the approval of more than one million meters of drilling work throughout the state and assists mining companies with their exploration and information gathering.?
?It?s been such a successful scheme that other mining jurisdictions are now copying it.?
Minister for Mineral Resource Development, Tom Koutsantonis, said it was an exciting time for the mining industry in South Australia.
?We have final negotiations well underway with BHP-Billiton for the proposed expansion Olympic Dam which, if approved, will create the world?s largest mine.
?Earlier this year, with the Federal Government, we also announced that an area almost the size of England would be unlocked for exploration in the Woomera Prohibited Area.
?The area in and around the WPA is estimated to hold mineral resources estimated to be worth in excess of a trillion dollars,? Mr Koutsantonis said.
The Federal Government has also announced today that two Petroleum Exploration Permits have been granted in the Duntroon and Ceduna Sub-basins, off the South Australian west coast.
They were part of a suite of ten permits granted off the South Australian and Western Australian coastlines by Federal Minister for Resources and Energy, Martin Ferguson.
Mr Koutsantonis described the permits in the Great Australian Bight as a new frontier of exploration with great prospects for the future.
The permits were awarded to Bight Petroleum Corporation and will be subject to strict conditions that recognise the region?s importance in terms of tourism, agriculture and the marine environment.
?The most stringent safety standards will apply to exploration and any further work will be subject to a further rigorous environmental and regulatory approval process,? Mr Koutsantonis said.