Bowdens Silver Project in NSW to create hundreds of construction jobs

The proposed Bowdens Silver Project is now ready to proceed as the New South Wales Independent Planning Commission (IPC) grants development approval to one of Australia’s largest undeveloped silver deposit. 

This final development approval follows two and a half years of rigorous assessment by the Department of Planning, involving 14 New South Wales Government departments and agencies. 

The approval and the start of mine development is positive news for the Mudgee region as well as the State economy, with hundreds of local jobs set to be created. 

“Nearly 320 new jobs will be created in construction, and around 230 ongoing jobs supported during mining operations. The project will also deliver nearly $60 million in mining royalties to the people of NSW over the life of the project. 

“Projects like the Bowdens Silver Project are critically important to supply metals of the future for a range of industries including health, telecommunications, energy, advanced manufacturing, defence, and transport. 

“We have an abundance of these metals and minerals here in NSW, and a range of further mining projects in the planning pipeline, with the potential for further positive development of our state’s resources sector,” NSW Minerals Council CEO Stephen Galilee said. 

Project map (source: Bowdens Silver)

The Bowdens Silver Project is located about 26 kilometres east of Mudgee in the Central Tablelands and approximately 260 kilometres by road from Sydney. The project sits within Exploration Licence 5920 that is wholly owned by Bowdens Silver Pty Ltd – a wholly owned subsidiary of Silver Mines Limited. 

The project includes a single open cut mine, which will be developed in six stages, along with a new processing plant that features a conventional SAG and ball mill circuit, SAB, differential flotation, thickening and dewatering to produce two concentrates to be sold for smelting and refining to finished metals. 

“The IPC’s decision is the most significant milestone for the Company since we took over the Project in mid-2016. 

“Our team has delivered a technically reliable and environmentally responsible project. This decision recognises the significant long-term economic and social benefits the Project will deliver for our shareholders, the State of New South Wales and also the local communities across the Mid-Western Regional Government area. 

“We now look forward to getting on with delivering the Project. After the significant upgrade to our Mineral Resources as announced last week, the Company is undertaking a significant optimisation program updating the Bowdens Silver Feasibility Study,” Silver Mines Managing Director Anthony McClure said. 

The Bowdens Silver Project is anticipated to have an initial mine life of 16 years and its processing plant to have a capacity of 2Mtpa. 

The project’s capital cost is estimated at $300 million, which will cover mine development as well as the construction of the processing plant, Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) and power supply. This cost estimate also includes $53.9 million in sustaining capital that will be spent over the life of mine. 

Just recently, the IPC has also announced that it has approved the development of Regis Resources’ McPhillamys Gold Project in the State’s Central West. You can read more about the project here. 

Source: NSW Mining; Australian Mining; Silver Mines Limited (1, 2); Bowdens Silver; ABC News