PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Newly appointed federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek has reportedly reached an agreement with privately-held Perdaman to stop work on its A$4.5-billion Karratha urea project, in Western Australia, for a 30-day period.
Plibersek was approached by the members of the Murujuga Traditional Custodians and Mardudhunera women to stop the gas project, saying it threatens ancient Murujuga rock art.
The Karratha project was granted Major Project status by the Australian government last year, and was granted Significant Project status by the Western Australian government. The plant will transform natural gas into urea, a widely used form of fertiliser for production of food for the future generation. Perdaman has secured natural gas for 20 years from Woodside under the gas supply agreement signed in November 2018.
The facility will produce two-million tons of urea a year, estimated to generate more than $850-million a year in export earnings for Western Australia, and will provide 200 permanent jobs in Karratha.
Perdaman is hoping to achieve full production at the project by the second quarter of 2025.
Perdaman was unavailable for comment when approached by Mining Weekly Online.