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BY AMY BLOM   TNG Limited’s Mount Peake mine is a step closer after the Northern Territory Government granted the company a mineral lease on 21 November.   Mount Peake, 235km north of Alice Springs, had the potential to create up to 500 jobs during construction and between 175 and 250 ongoing roles during operation. The mine, granted major project status by the NT Government, has already completed the NT Environmental Impact Assessment process and received Federal Government environmental approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. TNG Limited managing director Paul Burton said the company was rapidly ticking off the boxes towards the Mount Peake development, with key announcements over the past few months, including the signing of...

BY ELIZABETH FABRI   FITZROY Australia Resources has received the green light from the QLD Government to develop its Ironbark No. 1 coal mine in the Bowen Basin, QLD.   The 6 million tonne per annum (mtpa) underground longwall coking coal project, formerly owned by Vale and known as Ellensfield, was purchased by US-backed Fitzroy Australia Resources in November 2016. With mining leases granted, the project was now scheduled to enter production in 2020, and operate for an estimated 20 years. The project would be a “low impact development”, sharing major infrastructure with Fitzroy Australia’s nearby Carborough Downs mine. Fitzroy Australia Resources chief executive Grant Polwarth said the approval enabled it to pursue its expansion in the region, and would...

BY JESSICA CUMMINS   DEMAND for coal will continue to grow through to 2040, according to the latest World Energy Outlook (WEO) report by The International Energy Agency (IEA).   The WEO estimated the growth in demand for coal in the Asia Pacific region would increase by 492 million tonnes of coal equivalent (mtce)within the next 22 years. This included substantial growth in India and Southeast Asia, which counteracted projected falls in China and Japan. Federal Resources and Northern Australia minister Matt Canavan said the IEA had forecast Australia’s net exports of coal would grow by about 20 per cent to 430 mtce by 2040. About half of those exports would be metallurgical coal. Mr Canavan welcomed the IEA report...

BY ELIZABETH FABRI   NEODYMIUM and praseodymium explorer Arafura Resources has announced it will build a $US80 million separation plant for its Nolans rare earths project in the Northern Territory as opposed to overseas.   The company has been determining the feasibility of the location of the plant for years, with the preferred site originally an industrial estate in South Korea. NT chief minister Michael Gunner said the Government had been working with Arafura throughout the year to secure the plant for the Territory. “Creating local jobs is the Territory Government’s number one priority.   “This announcement is a significant vote of investor confidence in the NT and will contribute to the creation of around 500 construction jobs with 350-370...