Avenira has marked a significant milestone for the development of the Wonarah phosphate project, securing formal approval from the Northern Territory Government for its mine management plan (MMP).
The MMP covers pit designs and infrastructure to support 1.3 million tonnes of direct shipping ore (DSO) production at the Arruwurra deposit, along with haul roads, accommodation upgrades and other supporting services.
As part of the MMP, the company has also received approval for an exploration drilling program of up to 242 holes to support the design of a large-scale processing facility.
“We are pleased to receive approval of the mine management plan supporting the company’s proposed mining activities at Wonarah,” Avenira chair and chief executive officer Stephanie Yuan said. “This approval is a key step toward unlocking our plans to commence operations by Q4 (fourth quarter of 2025).”
“The DSO operations are an important step in the development of a downstream beneficiation plant and yellow phosphorous processing facility in the Northern Territory.”
Avenira is aiming to deliver first ore shipments by the end of 2025, with tenders awarded for critical infrastructure such as a haul road pipeline crossing, accommodation camp refurbishment and recruitment services.
Other operations currently underway include road and traffic assessments, mine optimisation studies, mobile fleet procurement and explosives management systems.
Lower grade material extracted during operations will be stockpiled for use in a future beneficiation feasibility study.
Avenira expects the project to create up to 100 direct jobs during DSO operations, with numbers increasing as the project progresses to further stages.
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