Another major milestone has been reached by OZ Minerals’ $916 million Carrapateena copper-gold project, with the mining lease already granted by the South Australian Government. The Australian Government has also given the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act approval for the project.
“Receiving the Mining Lease and EPBC approval is the product of significant effort on the part of the State Government working closely with the Federal Department to ensure this project received a robust and thorough review,” OZ Minerals Chies Executive Officer Andrew Cole said.
These approvals pave the way for construction on Phase 2 of the project, which is scheduled to commence by mid-April 2018.
Phase 2 of the Carrapateena project will involve the construction of above ground infrastructure including the processing plant, tailings storage facility as well as a western access road, power line and installation of an underground materials handling system.
The Carrapateena copper-gold project is located approximately 160 kilometres north of Port Augusta in South Australia. The project is expected to generate around 1,000 construction and operational jobs.
On August 2017, NRW Holdings has secured a $111 million contract to undertake the construction of an access road, tailings storage facility, quarry and an airstrip for the Carrapateena project. On December of the same year, OZ Minerals has awarded the joint venture between Downer EDI and Ausenco a $312 million engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contract for a new processing plant and other non-process infrastructure works for the project.
The project is expected commissioned by the second half of 2019, with a 20-year mine life. Carrapateena is also projected to have an average annual production of 65,000 tonnes of copper and 67,000 ounces of gold.
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Source: Australian Mining, OZ Minerals