Bulk earthworks start at Pilgangoora

PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Site development at the Pilgangoora lithium/tantalum project, in Western Australia, has started.

Owner Pilbara Minerals said on Thursday that the start of bulk earthworks for the project’s accommodation village marked a significant milestone for the company, putting it on track to start run-of-ore mining in the second quarter of 2017.

“The turning of the first sod at Pilgangoora represents an exciting and hugely important milestone for Pilbara, marking the start of construction and development at our flagship asset and putting us on track to commence commissioning of the plant in late 2017,” said MD and CEO Ken Brinsden.

“The development of the Pilgangoora project will provide Pilbara Minerals with the opportunity to become one of Australia’s next significant midtier mining companies in the rapidly growing lithium sector and should provide significant benefits to the local and indigenous community in the form of investment, jobs and opportunities,” Pilbara chairperson Tony Kiernan told shareholders at the company’s annual general meeting on Thursday.

“Early next year we expect to have raised the required capital to fund the construction of the two-million-tonne-a-year standalone mine and processing operation at Pilgangoora. This will be one of the most significant new resource projects being developed in Australia and globally.”

Pilbara in October acquired Roy Hill’s Rail Camp 3, which comprises a 300-person camp. Bulk earthworks were now under way for the Stage 1 relocation of this camp to Pilgangoora, comprising an initial 60 accommodation rooms and common central facilities.

Work will be completed by the end of December.