Green light for $300m phosphate project

North West Phosphate has the green light to develop its $300 million Paradise South project, 130km north-west of Mount Isa. Resources and Critical Minerals Minister Scott Stewart, announcing the grant of the mining leases, described the phosphate project as confirmation that the North West Mineral Province would continue to be a key driver in Queensland’s economy. It is expected to create 200 jobs during construction, while about 245 workers will be employed once the project is operational. “Phosphorous is an important product not only in the agriculture sector but is also needed for the technologies the world will adopt as it moves to a net zero economy," Mr Stewart said. “That is why the Commonwealth Government has added phosphorous to its new Strategic Materials list. “We are backing the development of projects like this and the North West Minerals Province through support like our Collaborative Exploration Initiative program and our $5 billion investment in Copperstring." North West Phosphate executive chairman John Cotter. The mining lease announcement comes as Mount Isa hosts the North West MPX conference. North West Phosphate executive chairman John Cotter said company had worked very closely with the State Government in bringing this very difficult and complex project to fruition in the North West. Related: Exciting phosphate future goes beyond food security “We know that the Mount Isa community is relying on us to deliver local jobs and local opportunities and we will continue to work with the Queensland Government to get this project off the ground as soon as possible," he said. “As many in the North West region would know, this project was first talked about decades ago, but it is the cutting edge project design underpinned by world class technology that has been put together by the North West Phosphate project team that will make sure this project becomes a reality.” The Paradise South, Paradise North and D-Tree tenements were at the centre of a $1.7 billion-plus proposal by the ‘Diamond’ Joe Gutnick-led Legend International Holdings to develop phosphate mines and a Mount Isa-based fertiliser manufacturing complex. The phosphate assets were frozen in August 2016 as part of a court action involving Indian fertiliser company IFFCO. North West Phosphate (formerly Phosphate International) already held phosphate tenements in the area at Barr Creek when it acquired them in 2021. North West Phosphate's planned 1Mtpa Paradise South operation, near Glencore’s Lady Loretta zinc mine, will include a beneficiation plant to produce phosphate concentrate for domestic and international markets. You may also like: https://industryqld.com.au/chatham-edges-closer-to-korella-north-mining-lease

Green light for $300m phosphate project

Industry Queensland

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