PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian government this week reached a Native Title Agreement over the proposed site for the Anketell multi-user port facility.

The state government was planning a multi-user deep-water port with an ultimate capacity of at least 350-million tonnes a year, along with an associated industrial area near Karratha, in the Shire of Roebourne.

“This is a significant project that will unlock the potential of the West Pilbara by allowing small and mid-sized iron-ore companies, and potentially producers of other commodities, to gain access to valuable port space,” Premier Colin Barnett said.

“Once fully operational, Anketell’s capacity of at least 350-million tonnes a year will be more than 20% higher than total shipments out of Port Hedland in 2012/13.”

Barnett said that the Native Title Agreement provided further certainty to a potential port builder and future users, and was imperative in ensuring that the site could be developed timeously.

ASX-listed Aquila Resources is currently the front-runner to develop the port project, with its plans receiving environmental clearance in May last year.

Federal Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities Minister Tony Burke at the time imposed 45 conditions on the project’s development, which would ensure that it did not have any unacceptable impacts on the environment.

Aquila’s development plan included a deep-water port with iron-ore stockpiling, transfer and shiploading facilities, and would allow the processing and export of iron-ore from the Australian Premium Iron Joint Venture's previously approved West Pilbara iron-ore project, with a capacity of 115-million tons a year. The project is a joint venture between Aquila and American Metals and Coal International.

Barnett was, reportedly, hoping to secure financial backing from Chinese steelmaker Boasteel to develop the project, with The West Australian reporting earlier this month that the Chinese firm could buy a direct stake in the project from American Metals and Coal International.