Mines Minister Dr Anthony Lynham announced Friday the successful tenderer for minerals tenders in the North West Minerals Province which he said will help identify the next generation of resources projects and future jobs.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Junior explorer Red Metal Limited will soon be able to seek out new zinc, lead, copper and silver deposits across 400 sq km of land between Gregory and Burketown.
“Unlocking land for resource exploration is vital to continuing resource development, whether it’s for mining jobs or royalties to fund our hospitals and schools,” Dr Lynham said.
“Exploration is essential for Queensland to keep up with the world’s thirst for tech minerals and our own manufacturing sector’s ongoing need for high-quality base metals.”
Red Metal Ltd will explorers have to negotiate land access agreements and fulfil all existing environmental and Native Title requirements before it is granted exploration permits.
The news comes a day after Red Metal announced a joint venture agreement with OZ Minerals aimed at fast-tracking the search for greenfield discoveries at six sites including one in the Gulf one at Lawn Hill and another at Three Ways, each looking for zinc-lead-silver.
OZ Minerals has committed to expend around $1.5m on each project within two years.
The tender completes the Queensland Government’s 2017-18 Annual Exploration Program released in October 2017 which earmarks more than 44,000 square kilometres of land for exploration.
Dr Lynham said the new land release and exploration injection follows a year of good news for the North West Minerals Province, including the completion of the $800 million Northern Gas Pipeline from Tennant Creek in the Territory to the Isa, the opening of Dugald River zinc mine and the re-opening of the Lady Loretta zinc mine.
The State Government made available another $2 million in Collaborative Exploration Initiative grants to kick-start 15 exploration projects in the North-West.
For further information about exploration tenders visit www.dnrme.qld.gov.au/resources-tenders
While you are here subscribe to our weekly email delivered to your inbox 6am every Friday