Image Resources has secured mining proposal approval from the Australian Department of Energy, Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DEMIRS) for the Atlas mineral sands project.
This approval paves the way for the construction and operation of the project, located 170km north of Perth in the North Perth Basin.
Image Resources has also been notified by the Commonwealth of the proposed conditions for the Atlas development proposal under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
The company has submitted its response and anticipates final approval early in August 2024.
Currently, the Atlas project awaits approval for its groundwater operating strategy (GOS), offset environmental management plan (OEMP), and the Banksia Woodlands Rehabilitation Environmental Management Plan (BWREMP).
Image Resources expects these approvals in early August 2024, with plans to start on-ground construction activities in the third quarter of the year.
The Atlas project is a high-grade mineral sands deposit with surface mineralisation extending to a depth of 16m.
This project is estimated to have mineral resources of 17.3 million tonnes (mt) at 5.7% heavy minerals (HM), including significant proportions of zircon, rutile, leucoxene and ilmenite.
Its development will involve conventional 'dry mining' techniques and a processing rate of 2.6mt per annum.
To optimise capital costs, the company plans to relocate existing processing equipment from Boonanarring to the Atlas site.
It aims to commission the project at the end of December 2024.
Image Resources managing director and CEO Patrick Mutz said: “Scheduling of contractor mobilisation to Atlas is progressing in anticipation of receipt of the final permits in August and the start of project construction.
“Early works camp construction is well under way and deconstruction of the Boonanarring WCP [wet concentrate plant] has been initiated. The next six months are slated to see a flurry of construction activities, with a stretch goal of commencing project commissioning at the end of December.”
