The Queensland government has conferred ‘prescribed project’ status on Capricorn Copper, providing a strong signal of support for ongoing recovery activities following the extreme weather events of March this year.
The company in early March halted production and all non-essential activity at the copper operation, as road access was lost and heavy rainfall resulted in a substantial increase in the volume of water held on site.
The declaration, which extends until December 2026, covers the execution of a recovery plan for Capricorn, seeking to return the site to full operations following the extreme weather and planned initiatives to improve productivity and extend the mine life.
“[The declaration] will provide mechanisms to improve coordination between the different regulatory agencies and ensure timely decision-making for key approvals to support the ongoing recovery activities, as well as the actions we are implementing to realise Capricorn Copper’s potential in an environmentally responsible way,” said MD and CEO Peter Albert.
The company in July launched Phase 1 of the restart operations, which saw the restart of mining activities at the Mammoth and Greenstone deposits. Phase 2 of the restart strategy will focus on the Esperanza South operation, with dewatering and rehabilitation efforts at the mine to be undertaken during Phase 1 to enable full recovery operations during Phase 2.