PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Vanadium developer TNG has discovered a long-term water supply source for its Mt Peake mine, in the Northern Territory, significantly de-risking the project.
TNG reported on Monday that a water drilling programme had discovered a large aquifer system capable of providing a sustainable long-term water source for the Mt Peake project.
The aquifer was capable of supplying the necessary water for the process plant, site dust suppression and camp potable water supply for a period of longer than the planned 20-year mine life proposed by the Mt Peake feasibility studies.
A detailed assessment of the aquifer’s characteristics was now being conducted, including a sample analysis from all recent drilling, as well as all of the existing station bores in the area. The aquifer system would be incorporated into the overall Mt Peake surface and groundwater model currently being developed.
Following the assessment, project house GHD would undertake the design and costing work for the development of a borefield, including the necessary permitting.
This work would form part of the overall feasibility study being compiled for the Mt Peake project, which was due by the middle of 2015.