Critical minerals mine approval supports 780 jobs

• Mining lease approved for a proposed critical minerals project in North Queensland
• The Sconi Project northwest of Townsville is expected to create 780 good jobs
• The mine has significant deposits of cobalt, nickel and scandium, which are critical minerals needed to make batteries for the electric car industry

About 780 good jobs will be on offer in North Queensland after a critical minerals mine was given the green light.

Australian Mines has been granted a mining lease for its Sconi Project at Greenvale northwest of Townsville.

The estimated $1.4 billion project has a planned life of 30 years, processing two million tonnes of ore per year with the project planned for commissioning in 2028.

Once operational, the open-cut mine and the adjoining processing plant is expected to produce about 47,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate, 7,000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate and 89 tonnes of scandium oxide.

These are critical minerals which are needed to make batteries for the electric car industry.

Quotes attributable to the Resources Minister Scott Stewart

“Around the world communities are demanding and making the shift towards a cleaner, greener low-emission economy.

“Queensland has an abundance of the critical minerals the world needs to decarbonise.

“The Sconi Project is a vote of confidence in Queensland’s resources sector and means more good jobs for the state’s north.

“The Palaszczuk Government is backing the development of the state’s critical minerals sector through the recently released Queensland Critical Minerals Strategy as well as our $5 billion Copperstring 2032 electricity transmission line.

“And planning is well underway on the $75 million Queensland Resources Common User facility, a multi-user, multi- purpose warehouse designed to prove up the commercial viability of critical minerals in Queensland.”

ENDS

Media contact: Chris Lees, 0484 062 915