PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Sandfire Resources and its joint venture (JV) partner, Talisman Mining, have been granted environmental approval to start development activities at the Monty copper/gold project, in Western Australia.
Sandfire MD Karl Simich said on Wednesday that the approval for the mining proposal, which was one of the first new projects in Western Australia to be assessed and approved under the new Mining Proposals Guidelines, was achieved in under three months.
The approval of the mining proposal and the mine closure plan comes just after the JV partners awarded an A$8.2-million contract for civils and earthmoving works to the Yagahong Alliance, which can now start work on the 14 km haul road between the Monty and DeGrussa mines, as well as the boxcut for underground access.
Cutting of the decline portal for the new underground mine will start in the December quarter, with underground development expected to take about one year to access first ore.
Monty could deliver about 70 000 t of copper, 21 000 oz of gold and 288 000 oz of silver over a three-year period.