A proposed $242.2 million vanadium mine is one step closer for North West Queensland with finalisation of the terms of reference for an Environmental Impact Statement (EIS).
The Richmond-Julia Creek Vanadium project is proposed for a site located 45 kilometres north west of Richmond, in the North West Minerals Province.
Project proponent, Richmond Vanadium Technology (RVT) expects the project would create up to 100 construction jobs and 200 ongoing operational jobs, over 25 years.
RVT estimates extraction of up to 4.2 million tonnes annually of vanadium ore, processed on site to produce 790,000 tonnes annually of vanadium concentrate.
The Richmond-Julia Creek Vanadium project was declared a coordinated project in May 2022.
RVT will now prepare a draft EIS responding to the terms of reference, which requires rigorous assessment of social, economic and environmental impacts.
Resources Minister Scott Stewart said vanadium is in worldwide demand for manufacturing products such as redox flow batteries that can be built on a large scale to power homes and businesses over longer periods.
“There are huge opportunities to grow production of critical minerals in the North West Minerals Province and our investment in Copperstring 2032 and the Queensland Resources Common User Facility will support companies like Richmond Vanadium Technology.”
Terms of reference for the EIS were finalised by Queensland’s Coordinator-General after a six-week public consultation period ended on 13 January 2023 and the Australian Minister for the Environment decision of 24 January 2022, as the project is a controlled action under federal environmental law.
The Coordinator-General will call for public submissions on the draft EIS, which will include mandatory social impact assessment as per the Strong and Sustainable Resource Communities Act 2017, to ensure local employment and business opportunities for the region.
The community can have its say on how project impacts should be managed when the draft EIS is released for comment.
Queensland Government has already invested $75 million to build an Australian-first vanadium and critical minerals demonstration facility at the Townsville State Development Area.
The Queensland Government has also provided funding to the development of Australia’s first commercial-scale vanadium flow battery electrolyte manufacturing facility, also to be built in Townsville by Vecco Group.
