Coda clears path for Elizabeth Creek project

Coda Minerals has submitted its draft scoping report to the South Australian Department for Energy and Mining (DEM) for its flagship Elizabeth Creek project in in the Gawler Craton.

The report for the copper-cobalt project represents a crucial milestone in the state’s approvals process and outlines the scope of environmental studies required prior to the granting of a mining lease.

Once finalised and accepted by the South Australian DEM, the document will form a binding agreement, providing a transparent and fixed framework for regulatory approvals.

“Elizabeth Creek benefits from a rare combination of favourable geology, proximity to infrastructure and existing operations, and location within a world-class mining jurisdiction,” Coda Minerals chief executive officer Chris Stevens said.

“South Australia not only offers low sovereign risk but also a proactive and experienced regulator for new mining projects.”

Stevens said the State Government’s long-term vision supports projects like Elizabeth Creek.

“In 2017, the South Australian State Government set an ambitious target of producing one million tonnes of copper annually within 20 years,” Stevens said.

“Programs like the approvals scoping process are a key part of streamlining the approvals process to help new copper projects like Elizabeth Creek contribute to that goal.”

The scoping process, introduced by the DEM to replace informal pre-lodgement consultation, offers early clarity on environmental and social requirements and is designed to avoid duplicated efforts and late-stage regulatory hurdles.

“South Australia’s clear and efficient approvals framework should give confidence to our investors that Elizabeth Creek won’t be delayed by unnecessary red or green tape,” Stevens said. “While sometimes under appreciated by the market, this certainty is critically important.”

Coda’s technical team remains focused on advancing its metallurgical test work following the recent release of its whole-ore leaching flowsheet. The company is building on this with optimisation work and detailed OPEX (operating expenditure) and CAPEX (capital expenditure) estimates progresses, with results expected in the coming weeks.

The Elizabeth Creek project currently holds more than one million tonnes of contained copper-equivalent in JORC-compliant resources and is positioned as a key contributor to Australia’s future copper supply.

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