Jacob approves Northern Minerals project

Western Australian Environment Minister Albert Jacob has granted Northern Minerals approval of its proposed Browns Range rare earths project near Halls Creek.

Northern Minerals managing director George Bauk said the company’s focus would now be on finalising the project’s feasibility study and securing offtake and financing to progress the project through construction in 2015, and commissioning in 2016.

The project was referred to the Environmental Protection Authority in May last year, and was given conditional approval in two months ago.

The mine is forecast to produce about 4,000 tonnes of high purity mixed rare earth oxide per year, and has an expected 10-year life.

It includes a borefield for water supply, access to haul roads and supporting infrastructure including an ore processing facility, accommodation village, tailings storage facility, workshops, evaporation ponds, diesel power supply and an airstrip.

The project is still subject to approval of secondary licences, including a mining proposal and project management plan from the Department of Mines and Petroleum, a works approval and licences from the Department of Environment Regulation and licences to construct bores and take water from the Department of Water.

Shares in Northern Minerals were 1.8 per cent lower at 27.5 cents per share at 11:45am.