The State Government granting strategic project status to Chalice Mining’s Gonneville Project underscores the project’s value and potential to deliver benefits for Western Australian and the region.
The Gonneville Project is located on Chalice-owned farmland, 70km northeast of Perth.
The large-scale project has the potential to produce a rare mix of critical and strategic minerals required for decarbonisation and urbanisation, such as nickel, copper, cobalt, palladium and platinum.
Approval as a strategic project will see the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) provide a high level of project facilitation for the Gonneville Project, including for regulatory approvals and infrastructure requirements.
The Gonneville Project is currently in the pre-feasibility stage, with regulatory approvals underway in parallel.
The lead agency prioritisation framework is designed to focus the government’s efforts on those projects that need to proceed first to deliver on the state’s decarbonisation and economic diversification agenda.
The Green Energy Major Projects group within the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) will assume lead agency responsibility for the project and provide a high level of project facilitation, including for regulatory approvals and infrastructure requirements.
In addition to this support, environmental approvals for the project will be subject to assessment through the new Green Energy Assessment Unit. This dedicated team within the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation is tasked with supporting the Environmental Protection Authority to facilitate the streamlined assessment of green energy projects such as the Gonneville Project.
Chalice Mining’s CEO and Managing Director, Alex Dorsch, said, “Chalice is pleased to receive this formal recognition and support from the Western Australian Government, demonstrating the strategic importance of Gonneville as the first major platinum group element discovery in Australia, and one of the largest critical and strategic minerals projects in the state.
“We are grateful for the recognition and JTSI’s ongoing case management support. Approval as a Strategic Project under the Lead Agency Framework recognises the greater engagement with all parts of the WA Government as we progress regulatory approvals.”
Mr Dorsch said that the Green Energy Assessment Unit’s support of environmental approvals for the Gonneville Project is pleasing.
“We look forward to working with the Western Australian and Commonwealth Governments, local communities and Traditional Owners, as well as Mitsubishi Corporation, under our strategic MOU, as we progress approvals and project studies for this important project.”
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