The Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety has granted the all necessary mining approvals to Kalium Lakes Limited for its Beyondie Sulphate of Potash Project (BSOPP) in Western Australia, taking the project one step closer to commencing development.
The approvals include two mining leases, a gas pipeline license and 15 miscellaneous licenses, adding to the previously granted 15 exploration licenses.
The approvals will cover development activities, including:
Mining - brine extraction
Evaporation ponds
Sulphate Of Potash (SOP) purification
All roads including product haul road connecting to the Great Northern Highway
Water supply borefield and pipelines
Communications
Gas pipeline
Power generation
Accommodation facilities
Supporting infrastructure
“The grant of all of our Mining Tenure requirements allows the full value chain to be accomplished including, extraction of the brine, evaporation to form salts, SOP purification and haulage to the Australian agricultural industry or an export port,” Kalium Lakes Managing Director Brett Hazelden said.
In addition to the approvals, the Gingirana and Birriliburu People - the Determined Native Title holders - has given consent to the development of the BSOPP.
“We would like to thank the Gingirana People and the Birriliburu People traditional owners for their consent and ongoing support of the project,” Mr Hazelden said.
Sulphate of potash is primarily used as a fertiliser and the Beyondie project is set to become the country’s first SOP operations.
Kalium Lakes is anticipating first production in 2020 with up to 82ktpa of SOP. Production will then ramp up to 164ktpa of SOP for international and domestic sale.
The BSOPP is expected to have a mine life of 30 to 50 years. The project is going to be situated on a 2,400 square kilometre site 160 kilometres south east of Newman.
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Source: Australian Mining; Kalium Lakes Limited (1, 2)