Forward Mining Limited has received the environmental approval for its Rogetta iron ore project in north western Tasmania. The project is expected to cost approximately $100 million to develop and maintain.
The iron ore mine - located about 30 kilometres south of Burnie, near the village of Hampshire - will involve an open cut pit that could produce up to 1 million tonnes per annum (Mtpa) of magnetite iron ore over a seven-year mine life. The mine development will also include a tailing s storage dam, waste rock dump and a processing plant.
Under the approval granted to Forward Mining, the company must satisfy a number of environmental conditions that will make the project environmentally sustainable. Conditions include financial support to protect the endangered Tasmanian devil, the spotted-tailed quoll and the wedge-tailed eagle.
According to Forward Mining Chairman and Chief Executive Geoff Summers, the Rogetta mine is going to be the largest new mine in the State in 50 years.
“Now that all approvals are in place, we will proceed to final design work on the mill and expect tenders for construction to be let by the end of this year.
“We anticipate it will be a 12-month build and we plan to be in production in about 2020,” Mr Summers said.
The Rogetta mine is expected to generate approximately 200 jobs during construction, with about 100 additional jobs once it is operational. On Forward Mining’s website, the company stated that it will be utilising local labour for the development of the Rogetta mine.
Once the mine is up and running, it is expected to generate up to $100 million in export revenues a year, with product from the mine to be trucked off to Burnie Port.
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Source: Australian Mining, The Advocate, Mining Global, Forward Mining