CUDECO’s logistics manager John Green was quoted in The North West Star last week as saying he thought it ironic how the project was considered more important to Natural Resources and Mines Minister Andrew Cripps when Glencore and MMG were involved.
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He believed the facility would be approved eventually.
“The facility is too important to us, too important for Cloncurry and too important for the North West,” Mr Green said.
CuDECO has resolved all native title issues with the Mitakoodi people which might halt the proposed railway load out facility in Cloncurry, according to a spokesman for Mr Cripps.
The spokesman said that Mr Cripps had been told that CuDECO had resolved the issues with the indigenous group, which was required by Commonwealth government legislation.
The Queensland government was not involved in commercial negotiations between CuDECO and the property landholder, the spokesman said.
But CuDECO was in advanced discussions with the Environment and Heritage Protection Department involving the requirements for a draft Environment Authority needed for the facility.
“However, CuDECO is yet to gain consent from the pre-existing underlying exploration permit holders through a commercially negotiated agreement,” the spokesman said.
“The company is also yet to complete a legally binding compensation agreement with the landholder whose property is subject to the mining lease application.”
It is the responsibility of CuDECO to complete these requirements before the mining lease application can be considered, and Mr Cripps cannot veto the requirements of Commonwealth legislation.
“The Minister cannot consider a mining lease for grant until all statutory requirements under the Mineral Resources Act 1989 are completed by CuDECO and lodged with the department,” the spokesman said.
