The Federation mine is expected to produce four million tonnes (mt) of ore. Credit: Aurelia Metals.

The New South Wales (NSW) government in Australia has opened the Federation mine, operated by Aurelia Metals, marking the launch of the state’s newest critical minerals and high-tech metals mine.

Located near Cobar, the mine is set to support more than 140 skilled jobs and inject A$143m ($95.2m) into the Far West economy.

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Aurelia’s Federation mine is projected to produce up to 600,000t of ore annually, focusing on high-grade zinc, gold, copper and lead.

These minerals are integral to the advancement of clean energy technologies and will support valuable employment opportunities in regional NSW.

The mine is estimated to yield 4mt of ore containing around 328,000t of zinc, 192,000t of lead, 12,000t of copper, 116,000oz of gold and 772,000oz of silver.

Aurelia CEO Bryan Quinn said: “It is remarkable to be opening a brand new mine only discovered in 2019. The short turnaround is testament to the excellent collaboration of NSW government agencies, the Aurelia team and strong support from the community.

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“It puts in place a strong foundation for the future success of the Federation Mine and high-quality jobs and opportunities in the region.

“Federation is one of the highest-grade base metals development projects in Australia and is a key building block to unlock Aurelia’s growth potential in the Cobar Basin.”

The Federation mine’s development is a major boost to the region’s mining industry, joining other key operations such as the CSA copper and silver mine, the Peak copper, gold, zinc and lead mine, and the Tritton copper mine.

Additionally, the Endeavor silver, lead and zinc mine is expected to resume production next year, further strengthening the sector’s growth.

NSW Minister for Natural Resources Courtney Houssos said: “Opening the Federation mine highlights the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to critical minerals and the valuable jobs the mining industry supports, including in the Far West.

“Mining has a long and proud history in NSW, and opening the Federation mine today shows it also has a bright future.”

Meanwhile, earlier this month, Australian Rare Earths closed the acquisition of Valrico Resources, which held the rights to the Overland Uranium Project in South Australia.