(165kb) Dan Thomas
Almost $1 million in state-funded exploration grants have been awarded to help explorers discover new economy minerals, many used for EVs and associated items, in North West Queensland.
The funding is the first part of $3.5 million in industry grants to be delivered over five years under the state’s $13.8 million New Economy Minerals Initiative.
A record number of exploration companies had taken up the Palaszczuk Government’s call to hunt for the minerals needed for advanced electronics and renewable technologies, mines minister Dr Anthony Lynham says.
“From an unprecedented 61 bids, seven projects have been awarded $965,000 to help open up the untapped minerals bounty around Mount Isa, Cloncurry, Julia Creek, and Georgetown,” he says.
“Exploration is the essential first step for any mining endeavour, and our investment has encouraged industry to search for cobalt and rare earth minerals needed for wind turbines, generators and batteries.”
(47kb) Dr Anthony Lynham
Lynham says data collected from the projects will be available free from January 2021 via the government’s geological database, to encourage further exploration and mining investment in Queensland.
“Everything learned will be shared with the whole industry, which could lead to further exploration and more mineral mines, jobs and exports for Queensland.”
New economy mineral projects expected to be completed by the end of May:
- Chinova Resources Pty – awarded $200,000 to re-analyse existing soil samples to investigate new economy minerals south of Cloncurry.
- Mulga Minerals (Hammer Metals subsidiary) – awarded $193,000 to drill an area between Mount Isa and Cloncurry to obtain rock samples.
- VECCO Industrial Pty – awarded $160,000 to re-analyse drill core samples for new economy minerals north of Julia Creek.
- Transition Resources Pty – awarded $112,000 to re-analyse existing soil and drill samples in the Cloncurry area.
- SMA Mining Pty – awarded $98,000 to drill to confirm sufficient lithium mineralisation in the Georgetown District for a viable mine.
- Moho Resources – awarded $112,000 to test groundwater from existing water bores and drill holes for new economy minerals south of Croydon.
- Mt Dockerell Mining Pty (Hammer Metals subsidiary) – awarded $90,000 for an electromagnetic survey to define the extent of new economy minerals south east of Mount Isa.
- “In addition to traditional drilling, these innovative projects will utilise geophysics, geochemistry, hydrogeochemistry, and data analytics,” Lynham says.
Hammer Metals managing director Dan Thomas says the government grants are an invaluable contribution to junior explorers.
“The ability for these programs to fund specific areas of interest and collaboration is critical in advancing the mineral prospects across Queensland.
“Hammer’s ground in particular holds great promise for a number of the identified critical minerals and whilst we have recognised and promoted this potential, the Collaborative Exploration Initiative grants will assist immensely in accelerating Hammer’s efforts in exploring for these minerals.”
