McArthur output to double
1st Feb 2012
DARWIN, Feb 1 – The planned A$270M Phase 3 expansion of Xstrata Zinc’s McArthur River mine in the Northern Territory of Australia will more than double annual output and extend the mine life to 2036.
The draft environmental impact study lodged with the NT Government proposes increasing capacity from 2.5Mtpa to 5.5Mtpa, producing 800,000 dry metric tonnes of zinc-lead concentrate for export markets each year.
The project seeks to increase MRM’s mineable reserves from the identified 53Mt to 115Mt and extend the life of the mine by nine years beyond the current 2027 date. The open pit would be expanded from 145ha to 210ha and its depth doubled to 420m.
Xstrata Zinc says local benefits of the project will include a 67% increase in the operational workforce, peaking at 735 jobs by 2020.
The public comment period for the EIS ends on March 16.
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