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noRtHeRn teRRItoRY sPotLIGHt

TNG: Location, location, location

TNG has confirmed the proposed
downstream TiVAN processing facility will
be located at Mount Peake (pictured)
rather than the Middle Arm site in Darwin

NG Ltd managing director Paul Burton to be reworked and optimised, which will
Tremains optimistic his company can hopefully result in further capital savings
still arrive at a final investment decision on and [reduced] operational costs as well.”
its Mount Peake vanadium-titanium-iron The strategic review highlighted a num-
project by the middle of next year despite ber of benefits in having both the mining
recently confirming a major tweak to the and processing occurring in such close
proposed multi-faceted operation. proximity, including consolidation of non-
Originally planned for the Middle Arm process infrastructure, a reduction in con-
site in Darwin, TNG’s downstream TIVAN struction requirements and solid waste
processing facility will now be located and tailings disposal handling costs, the
within its existing mining leases at Mount ability to simplify commissioning to a sin-
Peake, about 23km north-west of Alice gle location, and an expected lower risk
Springs, following a strategic review which final permitting process.
found the previous development hurdles Burton was also confident the location
for a fully integrated operation no longer switch would have little impact on TNG’s
existed. current line of sight on a FID for Mount
TNG confirmed the location change just Peake.
two months after announcing the FEED “If we proceeded with Darwin, we know
study for the Darwin-based refinery had that was going to take at least 12 months, Paul Burton
been completed. However, Burton insisted with no certainty at the end of that with our
the vast majority of the detailed engineer- permitting, so a FID was going to be no preferred location for the TIVAN refinery
ing work can be carried across to the new sooner than the end of next year,” he said. due to concerns there was not going to be
site. “I do think we will be in a position – and enough gas and water available at Mount
“It doesn’t matter where the plant is I’ve always been very optimistic on this – Peake for both the mine and the complex
actually going to be built because all the by the middle of next year, to have had processing facility. TNG made the deci-
diagrams, the engineering, all those equip- enough information supplied for the board sion to base the refinery in the Territory
ment lists, etc, they don’t change,” Burton to make the FID. By that stage, we expect capital after the Government at the time
told Paydirt. [debt advisor] KfW to have completed awarded the crown lease at Middle Arm to
“All we have now is a more slimmed most of their due diligence and any other the company.
down operation which I think is the best engineering work will also have been com- It was during the recently completed
outcome. Completing the FEED is a ma- pleted. We’ve got some very experienced FEED study when it became apparent
jor milestone and the unfortunate thing is engineers working with us, so I think that there would be both enough gas and water
this [relocation] announcement has sort would be quite a reasonable expectation for a fully integrated operation at the mine
of overshadowed the excellent work that’s for next year.” site. Concerns raised through the ongoing
been done. Only some things will need Darwin was previously chosen as the permitting of the Darwin lease ultimately

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