Dolphin tungsten mine re-opens after 30-year closure

The Dolphin tungsten mine on King Island in Tasmania has officially re-opened after being closed for 30 years.

Tasmania Minister for Resources Felix Ellis said he was proud to be on King Island to support the event which is one of the most significant projects seen in the region in recent years.

“14 years in the making, it is tremendous to see this economic gamechanger get going,” he said.

“The Dolphin mine is known for hosting the highest-grade tungsten deposit of significant size in the western world.

“Essential to steelmaking, electronics and defence manufacturing, tungsten is a critical mineral the world cannot do without. It is commonly used in light bulbs filaments, jewellery, electronics, metallic tools, aviation, space and defence users and even in darts and high-performance race cars.”

Dolphin operated on and off from 1917 to 1990 before being rehabilitated then ultimately closed, leaving only the old open put which filled with water.

It closed in 1992 due to prolonged low tungsten prices.

In mid-2021, Dolphin received a $10m loan from the Tasmanian Government, allowing owners Group 6 Metals (ASX:G6M) to proceed with re-development activities. Construction began in late January 2022, with successful commissioning achieved in June 2023.

After a new process plant was installed, Group 6 Metals could add certain improvements to a traditional gravity circuit to optimise the overall performance of the plant. This plant is producing a high-grade concentrate in excess of 70%.

Once steady state production is reached, it’s expected exports of 70t to 80t of concentrate per week will be achieved.