Deadline day for Vimy Resources

UPDATE: The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation has found ‘substantial commencement’ on Vimy Resources’ Mulga Rock project has occurred.

Vimy’s Mulga Rock project, situated 290 kilometres north east of Kalgoorlie, is one of four proposed uranium mines in Western Australia with ministerial approval.

That approval was due to expire today if Vimy couldn't demonstrate that it has commenced substantial works at the mine, a condition tied to the project when it was approved by the Environmental Protection Authority in 2016.

As it stood yesterday afternoon, the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation - whose chief executive will make a call on the matter - was waiting on further information on an operational update Vimy had provided earlier this week, to make a decision.

The ASX release from Vimy on December 13 recounted the mining company’s activities since early works started.

The Conservation Council of Western Australia has already flagged plans to protest the approval tomorrow, labelling the decision as "indefensible".

It is understood to be one of the last remaining approvals needed before mining could start, but Vimy kept sentiment towards the impending decision tightly held.  

Media were not permitted to attend a closed-door AGM hosted by the company in November, during which outgoing chief executive and former WA attorney general Cheryl Edwardes flagged her departure.  

Vimy also declined to comment on whether it believed the approval was likely to go ahead or whether it had received any further interest in the project after initiating a strategic review in November.

Requests for comment from WA Attorney General John Quigley were handled similarly.

Vimy and Mulga Rock were handed to Minister Quigley due to Enviroment Minister Amber-Jade Sanderson’s previously declared conflict of interest earlier this year.

It is understood her stepfather, Julian Tapp, had previously worked for the company.

A spokesperson for the Attorney General said the Minister was not the decision-maker in relation to whether substantial commencement occurred and that the responsibility fell with the Director General of DWER.

The Department of Water and Environmental Regulation had little to add ahead of making its decision this afternoon, but confirmed that Vimy had submitted a notice of substantial commencement for its Mulga Rock project on November 25.

“DWER has requested further information about this operational update be provided before 16 December 2021,” a spokesperson said at the time.

“DWER will finalise its assessment of whether the requirements of conditions 3-1 and 3-2 of Ministerial Statement 1046 have been met once it has considered all available information.”

Mines Minister Bill Johnston indicated earlier this month that any mines with approval would not be retroactively cancelled.

Vimy Resources shares closed the day up 7.89 per cent to trade at 20 cents.