The DER has confirmed its acceptance of Altech’s project application and confirmed that the next and final permitting requirement for the Meckering beneficiation plant as a Works Approval application, which will also be assessed by the DER.
Once the Works Approval is granted, construction of the beneficiation plant can commence. Also, under DER regulations, based on the beneficiation plants processing rate of less than 50,000 tonnes per annum, the plant may only require registration post construction rather than an application for an Operating Licence.
Concurrent with DER permitting, Altech is advancing mining approvals and an access compensation arrangement for the Project. Mining approvals are regulated by the Western Australian Department of Mines and Petroleum and the Company has already submitted a mining lease application, the first step in the DMP approvals process. Following grant of the mining lease, the Company will submit a Mining Proposal and a Mine Closure Plan and upon approval of these items, mining operations at Meckering will commence with overburden removal for the establishment of an open pit mine.
The Company anticipates that both the DER and DMP approval processes will be relatively straightforward. There are no other permitting requirements for the Project.
Meckering mining operations
The proposed mining operation at Meckering will be conducted on a campaign’ basis, once every three years. Approximately 144,000 tonnes of kaolin will be mined each campaign, each mining campaign will last around two months and the mined kaolin will be delivered to a run of mine stockpile, proximal to the open pit. Stockpiled kaolin will be fed to the Meckering beneficiation plant at a rate of approximately 48,000 per annum.
Meckering beneficiation
The beneficiation circuit will consist of a wet screening plant to remove oversize silica from the kaolin, then a dryer to reduce moisture levels of the beneficiated product.
The Meckering plant will produce approximately 18,565 tonnes of beneficiated aluminous clay per annum, with approximately 20,299 tonnes of oversize silica sand as waste, which will be returned to the mine void. The Meckering wet screening plant and dryer will operate on a day shift, five days a week.
The final beneficiated aluminous clay product will be transported from Meckering to Fremantle, Western Australia for final shipping to Johor Bahru, Malaysia, where the Company’s proposed high purity alumina processing plant will be constructed.
