PERTH (miningweekly.com) – The Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has approved the mining proposal for junior Venturex Resources’ Sulphur Springs copper/zinc project.
The mining proposal approval follows on from the April environmental approval by the state’s Environmental Protection Authority, and Ministerial approval in May.
The approved mining proposal is required for the construction of the 7.6 km access road, water infrastructure, hardstand and stockpile areas and facilitates preparatory ground works and plant construction at the ore processing area, adjacent to the mine.
A 2018 definitive feasibility study estimated that the Sulphur Springs project would require a capital investment of A$169-million to develop a 1.25-million-tonne-a-year operation, producing some 65 000 t/y of 25% copper concentrate, and 75 000 t/y of 50% zinc concentrate over a mine life of more than ten years.
The company on Thursday said that approval of a separate mining proposal would be required for the development of the opencut mine and tailings storage facility, while other secondary approval applications also remain in process or in preparation.