PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Alkane Resources’ environmental-impact study (EIS) for its Dubbo zirconia project, in New South Wales, is open for public comment.
The EIS will be available for review and comment until November 18.
The A$1-billion project is expected to produce some one-million tonnes a year of ore, delivering 3 000 t of ferroniobium under a joint venture agreement with Treibacher Industries.
The project will have an initial mine life of some 20 years and, at current prices, it is expected to generate A$90-million a year in revenue.
Alkane said this week that the components and features of the existing environment within and surrounding the Dubbo project had been studied, and the development proposal for the project was designed to avoid or minimise environmental impacts.
If all goes to plan, the Dubbo project will enter production in 2016.