Hastings Technology Metals Ltd: EPA Recommends Environmental Approval for Yangibana
- Hastings has secured the next step in the approvals process allowing it to maintain construction commencement guidance for 2019 subject to final finance arrangements.
- Yangibana has undergone a very thorough environmental impact assessment to the satisfaction of the Western Australian EPA, Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety, and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation and other key stakeholders.
Introduction
The EPA considered impacts to water and human health were unlikely to be significant and could be managed under Part V of the Environmental Protection Act 1986, the Rights in Water and Irrigation Act 1914, the Radiation Safety Act 1975, the Mines Safety and Inspection Act 1994 and the Mining Act 1978.
The proposal includes the development of five open mine pits, groundwater abstraction, on-site processing of ore, tailings storage facilities, access and haul roads and supporting infrastructure such as accommodation facilities, administration buildings and an airstrip."
EPA Chair Dr Tom Hatton said "The EPA's environmental assessment for this rare earth proposal considered impacts on flora and vegetation, stygofauna (subterranean fauna living in the groundwater), local water systems and human health and also considered if these impacts were manageable."
The EPA has recommended conditions including further surveys of flora and vegetation, additional modelling of ground water around small sensitive calcrete areas and that the limited calcrete areas be protected from clearing and mining.
Charles Lew, Executive Chairman of Hastings commented: "This is a very exciting next step in the projects history and takes us one step further to realising our construction and production dream. We are very pleased that the EPA has recommended environmental approval, which is an important milestone towards gaining full environmental approval required for the Yangibana Project."
About Hastings Technology Metals Ltd:
Hastings Technology Metals Ltd. (ASX:HAS) is a leading Australian rare earths company, with two rare earths projects hosting JORC-compliant resources in Western Australia.
- The Yangibana Project hosts Probable Reserves totaling 5.15 million tonnes at 1.12% TREO including 0.45% Nd2O3+Pr6O11 within JORC Resources totalling 21.0 million tonnes at 1.17% TREO (comprising Measured Resources of 3.9 million tonnes at 1.19% TREO, Indicated Resources of 8.6 million tonnes at 1.25% TREO and Inferred Resources of 8.4 million tonnes at 1.09% TREO), including 0.40% Nd2O3+Pr6O11.
- The Brockman deposit contains JORC Indicated and Inferred Resources totalling 41.4 million tonnes (comprising 32.3mt Indicated Resources and 9.1mt Inferred Resources) at 0.21% TREO, including 0.18% HREO, plus 0.36% Nb2O5 and 0.90% ZrO2.
- Rare earths are critical to a wide variety of current and new technologies, including smart phones, electric vehicles, wind turbines and energy efficient light bulbs.
- The Company aims to capitalise on the strong demand for rare earths permanent magnets created by expanding new technologies.
Source:
Hastings Technology Metals Ltd.
Contact:
Charles Lew Chairman T: +65-9790-9008 /+61-8-6117-6118 Andrew Reid Chief Operations Officer T: +61-487-888-787