The Western Australian Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has recommended approval for Western Australia’s first uranium mine.
Toro Energy Limited has been advised by the EPA that approval has been recommended for the company’s Wiluna Uranium Project. The EPA has presented a report to WA’s state minister for environment stating that the Wiluna Project meets environmental approval requirements and should be approved and allowed to proceed, subject to stated conditions within the report.
The Wiluna Project is located 30 kilometres south-east of Wiluna in central Western Australia, and contains two shallow calcrete deposits, Lake Way and Centipede. Prefeasibility and optimisation studies have been completed and a definitive feasibility study is underway.
Toro has advanced the approvals process with an anticipated decision date of mid-2012, construction through 2013 and first uranium sales in 2014.
The EPA decision is open to appeal for a period of two weeks. Toro said it now awaits the decision of the WA state minister following review of any appeals that are raised.
The federal government is also reviewing the project under its EPBC Act in parallel to the WA government, and a decision on its assessment of the project is expected after the Western Australian process is finalised. Toro’s Board will then consider a final investment decision.
Commenting, Toro’s managing director Greg Hall said: “This is an important day for Toro and for the Australian uranium industry. Wiluna is the first uranium project to achieve this level of assessment in Western Australia since the change to WA government policy to allow uranium mining in 2008. Toro is confident that its extensive technical and environmental study work and the rigorous assessment undertaken by the EPA will ensure a safe and sustainable mining operation at Wiluna. The Wiluna Project is one of the few in the world capable of commencing near-term production in the crucial 2014/15 period when the international nuclear industry will be seeking additional secure long-term supplies.”
Hall continued: “Toro has worked hard to technically de-risk the project, with a test mine and pilot process plant, and is pleased to progress the regulatory approval process to this stage. This steady progress will assist the company’s project financing discussions currently underway with potential partners. We will continue to work with the WA government departments, local communities and traditional owners on the final stages of the Wiluna pre-development work programme. With this decision from the EPA Toro is one significant step closer to achieving its long held ambition to become a sustainable uranium mining company.”
Toro Energy is based in Adelaide, South Australia, with a project office in Perth, Western Australia. Toro has a new uranium project at Theseus in Western Australia, and owns uranium assets in the Northern Territory, South Australia and in Namibia, Africa.
