Battery and technology metals company Australian Mines has secured a mining lease grant for the Greenvale mining area in Townsville, paving the way for a critical minerals project that would create about 780 good jobs in North Queensland.
The 25-year mining lease combined with the Lucknow and Kokomo mining leases will allow the company to access resources for the critical battery minerals at the Sconi Nickel-Cobalt Scandium Project in North Queensland, Australian Mines said in an ASX announcement,
Once operational, the massive $1.4 billion project will produce about 47,000 tonnes of nickel sulphate, 7,000 tonnes of cobalt sulphate and 89 tonnes of scandium oxide.
These critical minerals are needed in the manufacturing of batteries for the electric car industry.
The Sconi Project is planned for commissioning in 2028 and has a planned life of 30 years, processing two million tonnes of ore per year.
Australian Mines said it is in discussions about the potential for a Strategic Collaborative Partnership for the development of the Sconi Battery Minerals Project.
“Around the world, communities are demanding and making the shift towards a cleaner, greener low-emission economy,” Resources Minister Scott Stewart said. “The Sconi Project is a vote of confidence in Queensland’s resources sector and means more good jobs for the state’s north.
The Queensland government recently released its Critical Minerals Strategy, along with a $5 billion Copperstring 2032 electricity transmission line in an effort to develop the state’s critical minerals sector.
Stewart said a $75 million Queensland Resources Common User Facility is also underway to serve as a multi-user, multi-purpose warehouse designed to enhance the commercial viability of critical minerals in Queensland.
