Ardea Resources Limited’s (ASX:ARL) Kalgoorlie Nickel Project (KNP) has been awarded Major Project Status by the Australian Federal Government.
Managing Director, Andrew Penkethman, said this is a major breakthrough in the development of the project.
“The Ardea team thank the Australian Federal Government and its agencies for the award of Major Project Status to the Kalgoorlie Nickel Project.
“This recognition will assist in advancing the KNP towards development through stream lining the approvals process and providing access to additional sources of potential project funding.
“Globally significant nickel-cobalt projects like the KNP, combined with a benign environmetal setting are a rareity.
“With the award of Major Project Status, Ardea is well placed to provide a significant sustainable and ethical supply chain for the lithium-ion battery sector, from the best resources operating jurisdiction in the World, being Western Australia.
“Ardea look forward to continuing to work with all stake holders as the company continues to advance the KNP.”
Ardea’s Kalgoorlie Nickel Project (KNP) and its sub-set the Goongarrie Hub, revolve around a globally significant series of nickel-cobalt and Critical Mineral deposits which host the largest nickel-cobalt resource in the developed world at 830Mt at 0.71% nickel and 0.046% cobalt for 5.9Mt of contained nickel and 380kt of contained cobalt – located in a jurisdiction with exemplary ESG credentials
Ardea’s KNP development with its 5.9 million tonnes of contained nickel is the foundation of the Company, with the nickel sulphide exploration such as Emu Lake as an evolving contribution to Ardea’s building of a green, forward facing integrated nickel company.
The awarding of Major Project Status for KNP follows close on the heels of a Federal Government announcement that is providing $119.6 million in funding to support the construction of an integrated nickel manganese cobalt battery material refinery hub in the Kalgoorlie region.
Being developed by Pure Battery Technologies and Poseidon Nickel, the $399 million Western Australian pCAM Hub site will become home to a growing workforce with 380 construction jobs and 175 initial permanent jobs from 2023.
