Element 25 Ltd (ASX:E25) (FRA:QFP) has secured key final approvals for its Butcherbird Manganese Project in Western Australia, paving the way for stage-1 construction and mining operations to begin immediately.
Following the environmental approvals, the works approval and mining proposal have been approved by relevant State Government departments and permission obtained from the State Mining Engineer.
The approvals allow site works for Stage 1 of the Butcherbird project to begin immediately, with the timing in line with E25’s plans for first production in the first quarter of 2021.
Accelerated development timeline
E25 managing director Justin Brown said completion of comprehensive environmental approval process within only 12 months was a testament to the efforts of a skilled and dedicated team.
“We are delighted to have secured the necessary environmental approvals for the commencement of construction at the project," he said.
“This is the culmination of an extensive environmental assessment and community consultation process and it allows E25 to continue to rapidly progress its mine development and construction plans.
“The company has had an accelerated development timeline in place from the start and the fact that it continues to deliver the project on time and on budget is a testament to the dedication of the E25 team.”
Work crews being mobilised
Work crews are now being mobilised to undertake the necessary civil works including roads, processing plant, tails storage facility (TSF) and other ancillary works to allow the commissioning of the project in the first quarter of 2021.
The water abstraction licence remains pending for operations.
Butcherbird Manganese Project
Butcherbird is a world-class manganese resource with current JORC resources in excess of 263 million tonnes of manganese ore.
The project straddles the Great Northern Highway and the Goldfields Gas Pipeline, providing turnkey logistics and energy solutions.
E25 plans to integrate renewable energy into the power solution to minimise the carbon intensity of the project as well as reducing energy costs, placing Butcherbird at the forefront of sustainable metal production.