Hawsons Iron Ltd (ASX:HIO) welcomes the news that the South Australian Government has declared its proposed high-grade magnetite namesake project an ‘impact-assessed major project’.
The status, which is subject to a state-run process and determination of assessment requirements against environmental impact statement (EIS) obligations, means the project is considered to be of economic, social or environmental importance to the state.
Part of global push to decarbonise
Managing director Bryan Granzien welcomed the declaration by the South Australian Minister for Planning, Nick Champion: “Significantly, this declaration reflects the importance and scale of the Hawsons Iron Project within South Australia and potential as the global steel industry aggressively pursues pathways to decarbonise.”
The Minister advised by letter that the next step for Hawsons would be to lodge a formal development application with supporting information.
“The application will then be forwarded to the State Planning Commission to determine the assessment requirements for you to address in the preparation of Environmental Impact Statements (EIS),” he explained.
SA decision follows federal and NSW recognition
The South Australian declaration follows the Federal Government’s decision in April to renew the project’s status as a major project for three more years in recognition of its potential to supply high-grade quality magnetite for the production of low emissions steel.
The NSW Department of Planning and Environment has similarly declared the project a State Significant Development.
Hawsons is adjacent to the border of NSW and South Australia and close to the mining centre of Broken Hill.