PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian Department of Minerals and Petroleum has given its approval of the mine plan and mine closure plans of the proposed Tabba Tabba tantalum project.
Project owner Pilbara Minerals on Wednesday reported that the approval allows for construction and commissioning of the processing facility and followed from the works approval received from the Department of Environmental Regulation earlier this month.
“We are very pleased that the mine plan and mine closure plan for Tabba Tabba have now been formally approved,” said Pilbara executive director Neil Biddle.
“Together with the recent works approval, we are now able to move ahead with final site-based construction and commissioning activities in anticipation of receiving the final operating permit in the coming weeks.”
A 2014 feasibility study estimated that the Tabba Tabba project could produce about 365 000 lb of tantalum over a 19-month mine life. Development would require a capital investment of A$3.9-million.
The project, which would be Pilbara’s first operating mine, would be a high-grade low-cost producer of tantalite concentrate. All production from the mine would be sold to offtake partner Global Advanced Metals for the next five years.
“Pilbara is now well and truly on the cusp of making the transition to production, with the valuable cash flow generated from Tabba Tabba supporting our broader growth ambitions across our strategic metals portfolio in Western Australia,” Biddle said.