A $167 million mine expansion has been approved, securing the future of hundreds of jobs in Far North Queensland.
Resolute Mining’s Ravenswood Gold Mine Expansion was recently approved by the State Government, ensuring the continuation of 280 existing operational staff and creating about 100 new jobs.
None of the positions are advertised yet, but will appear on job-search websites.
BGC Contracting previously won the operational tender.
BGC has advertised multiple expressions of interest for mining jobs in Queensland:
- civil operators
- graduate engineer
- HSET coordinator
- maintenance superintendent/supervisor
- mining plant operator
- mobile plant support services trades
- mobile plant tradesperson
- production supervisor
- site engineer
Express interest here: bgc.cc/careers/our-vacancies
The Queensland Department of Environment and Heritage Protection issued a final approved amended Environmental Authority (EA) for resuming mining at the Sarsfield Open Pit.
Resolute praises the EA as a major milestone in the governmental approval process required to progress the project, and includes all provisions required to recommence mining at the Sarsfield open pit, about 95km southwest of Townsville.
The project will extend the company’s local operations for a further 13 years to at least 2029, increase average annual gold production to more than 120,000 ounces, and generate life-of-mine all-in sustaining costs of $1166 per ounce. Receipt of the final EA for Sarsfield follows the State Government’s granting of prescribed project status.
“The amended EA we have received is a critically important aspect of our plans to expand production and extend the mine life of our Ravenswood Gold Mine,” Resolute managing director and CEO John Welborn says.
“We have already successfully recommenced open pit mining at the nearby Nolans East pit and have increased processing capacity to 2.8 million tonnes per annum while we continue underground operations at Mt Wright. The next stage of our expansion plans require approvals to recommence mining activities at the Sarsfield open pit mine before advancing to the adjacent Buck Reef West deposit.”
Welborn confirms the new jobs will be short-term only.
“Extending the mine life at our Ravenswood operations will help maintain long-term employment for our local workforce of approximately 280 people and provide a short-term boost of up to 100 new construction jobs,” he says.
“From an environmental aspect, we have incorporated a number of important improvements into our plans which have not only enhanced the future environmental outcomes, but importantly have also boosted economic outcomes. The amended approval allows us to process and place additional tailings resulting from our expansion plans using an innovative dry stacked tailing system.
“We will now work with the various Queensland Government agencies, using the assistance of the Coordinator General’s department, to ensure the remaining approvals we require, most importantly for open pit mining to commence at Buck Reef West, are also received on a timely basis.”
Minister Assisting the State Premier on North Queensland Coralee O’Rourke welcomed the mine expansion.
“I particularly want to recognise Resolute for its commitment to employ people from within 150 km of Ravenswood which means jobs for locals in Charters Towers, Ayr, Home Hill and Townsville,” she says.
“This investment could extend the mine’s life by 13 years and will mean 100 new construction jobs in the region. The State Government is absolutely committed to creating jobs for Queenslanders and this is an example of working with industry to achieve this.”
Add Comment