Savannah Goldfields Ltd. is continuing preparations to restart mining at its Agate Creek project in Queensland as it awaits a regulatory decision for the restart.
The company said the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) has issued a preliminary draft Environmental Authority alongside an updated decision timeline. A final ruling on the critical environmental changes, originally anticipated by the end of May, is now expected by July 13 following a 30-business-day extension.
The change application, submitted in November last year, covers updated open-pit designs and waste rock management schedules for the site.
Brad Sampson, CEO of Savannah Goldfields, said: “We continue to recognise the constructive manner in which DETSI has engaged with us over the last nine months and look forward to working with DETSI to finalise the Environmental Authority conditions during the updated decision period.
“We are pleased to now have clarity on the timing for the decision on the changes to the Agate Creek Environmental Authority.”
Despite the regulatory delay, Savannah has already mobilised workers to the site, commencing authorised early works to ensure mining can kick off immediately upon receipt of the final approval.
Initial site preparations include haul road stabilisation, erosion and sediment control installation, water management upgrades, and the refurbishment of the site’s accommodation camp.
Savannah said the minor approval extension will not impact ongoing gold production. The company’s Georgetown Gold Processing Plant (GGPP), located 100 kilometres north of the mine, continues to operate efficiently at a throughput of approximately 550 tonnes per day.
The processing facility currently holds more than 50 days of regional feedstock on its stockpiles, consisting primarily of material from the Big Ben and Big Reef deposits.
With a further 20 days of feed currently being hauled from the Big Reef open pit, Savannah has secured continuous processing operations into mid-August.
The company is also evaluating alternative regional feed sources to bridge any remaining gaps before the first Agate Creek ore arrives.
The Agate Creek project boasts a total ore reserve of 460,000 tonnes, grading 2.5 grams per tonne of gold for 36,800 contained ounces.
An initial high-grade portion of 375,000 tonnes has already been scheduled for extraction and processing through to 2028.
