The NT Independent is providing an update of resource news from across the Northern Territory. Highlights this week include the NT Government approving Avenira’s mine management plan for the Wanorah phosphate project, Empire Energy Group moving closer to a final investment decision, Elmore’s third magnetite shipment off to China, and Lithium Plus reporting remarkable assay results from its drilling activities.

NT Government okays Avenira mining permit for Wanorah

The NT Government has approved Avenira’s mine management plan (MMP) that allows Avenira to extract 40,000 pa of ore at the Wonorah phosphate project in the NT. The company’s direct shipping ore project (DSO) aims to mine and sell high-grade phosphate ore from the site.

“The authorisation enables staged expansion of the DSO Project with customary conditions, including submitting an amended MMP with findings of surface grade control drilling, a pathway to development and consideration of site rehabilitation, along with other supporting documents that demonstrate appropriate management of environmental risks,” Avenira said.

The company’s mine will provide feedstock for Avenira’s lithium ferro phosphate (LFP) project planned to be built at the Middle Arm Industrial Precinct.

EEG moves closer to the final investment decision

A research and development tax offset of $15.6 million, which grew Empire Energy Group’s capitalisation to $29.3 million will support the company’s bid to take its Carpentaria pilot project to a final investment decision, the company has said.

Empire Energy will use the refund to settle all or part of a revolving credit facility with the Macquarie Bank. The fund will also aid in the advancement of the final investment decision of the Carpentaria pilot project, including purchasing lead items for the operation, in addition to providing extra working capital.

The company plans a two-stage development for midstream gas infrastructure at the project in the NT’s Beetaloo Basin, which can potentially service the Top End and east coast of Australia with more than 500 terajoules of power per day.

Elmore’s third magnetite shipment off to China

Elmore’s third shipment of 30,000 wet metric tonnes of magnetite concentrate has departed from the Port of Darwin to China to be received by offtake partner Royal Advance.

“Elmore is pleased to have reached this significant milestone… particularly as this shipment was loaded with substantially fewer issues than the previous two shipments. The shipment was Elmore’s largest yet,” Elmore chair Russell Baskerville said.

The company operates the Peko mine in NT and currently produces iron-ore magnetite products. It also mulls using the plant and equipment to produce copper, cobalt and gold from tailings deposits at the mine.

Lithium Plus reports remarkable assay results from its drilling activities, posts a healthy cash balance

Lithium Plus Minerals said it returned remarkable assay results from its drilling activities at the Bynoe lithium project in the NT for the first quarter of FY 2024. Lithium Plus also ended the period with a substantial cash balance of $6.1 million.

The company said one particular diamond drill hole revealed thick high-grade mineralised intervals, including 13 metres at 1.36 per cent lithium oxide from 611 metres. It has also hastened infill and extensional drilling in a bid to declare a maiden high-grade lithium resource in the fourth quarter of FY 2023, the company said.