‘This project will bring benefits for the Traditional Owners, the people of Barkly Shire and the Northern Territory’: Mine plan tick will be a boost for Tennant Creek

Work can now start on the processing of 3.75 million tonnes of tailings from a copper-gold mine about 10km south east of Tennant Creek.

WORK can now start on the processing of 3.75 million tonnes of tailings from a copper-gold mine about 10km south east of Tennant Creek, after the Territory government gave the tick to a revised Mining Management Plan.

ICA Mining announced plans to process Peko tailings late last year and the approval clears the way for the Peko Rehabilitation Project to restart mine rehabilitation.

ICA Mining managing director Tony Ford said approval of the revised Mining Management Plan for the Peko Rehabilitation Project means ICA Mining can move full steam ahead with on-site construction and remediation works.

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First shipment of magnetite is scheduled for the third quarter of this year.

“This project will bring benefits for the Traditional Owners, the people of Barkly Shire and the Northern Territory through employment, production of valuable mineral exports and a reduction in volume of tailings on the site.

“The Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade has ensured prompt action at all stages of this process while ensuring compliance to the highest standards.”

Tailings are the materials left over after the valuable part of the rock e.g.: copper, has been extracted. This is different to waste rock as tailings can be processed to produce a form of iron.

The rehabilitation work will remove the materials from the site for a commercial outcome, while also reducing the environmental footprint of the mine.

The remaining product will be placed into storage facilities for potential reprocessing in the future.

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The Peko Rehabilitation Project has been operating under a care and maintenance program since 2009.

Mining and Resources Minister Nicole Manison said the approved activity will reduce the volume of existing tailings onsite by approximately 70 per cent.

“Our resources industry is one of the biggest contributors to the Territory economy, and we are working hard to get the most out of new and existing mines,” Ms Manison said.

“This approval ensures the Peko Rehabilitation Project can get on with the rehabilitation of their mine site in an environmentally safe manner, while also creating jobs and contributing to our economy.”