PERTH (miningweekly.com) - The Northern Territory’s Environment Minister has given his backing for ASX-listed Western Desert to develop its Roper Bar iron-ore project, after approving the project’s environmental impact statement (EIS).
“This is another milestone for the company and for the Roper Bar iron-ore project,” said MD Norm Gardner, adding that it would accelerate the development of the mine infrastructure and transport corridor to the export facility at Bing Bong.
The final recommendation on the EIS from the federal Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities was expected within the next 30 days, Western Desert said.
The company noted that on formal approval, it would complete the major regulatory approvals process required for the development of the iron-ore mine. The company was expecting to deliver first direct shipping ore by 2013.
The Roper Bar project would initially involve the construction of an openpit operation with 1.5-million tons a year of capacity, later increasing to three-million tons a year by the third year of operation.
Western Desert recently became the takeover target of China’s Meijin Energy Group, which was offering shareholders A$435-million in cash for the company.
