The Northern Territory and Federal Governments have approved a $600,000 grant to help unlock critical metals processing capacity at Tennant Creek, helping a new strategic alliance to boost production.

The grant is set to be matched by members of the Tennant Creek Copper Alliance – CuFE Limited, Emmerson Resources and Tennant Minerals – to fund a feasibility study into establishing a multi-user minerals processing facility.

This is said to create a “strategic pathway toward the development of each company’s current and future mineral resources in the Tennant Creek area” and is expected to be completed by June.

Collectively, the member companies control significant copper, gold, silver and bismuth mineral resources totalling over 24 million tonnes at 1.8 per cent copper, 0.55 grams per tonne gold, 2.58 grams per tonne silver and 0.08 per cent bismuth.

The proposed study will assess the optimal design, location and economic viability of the facility to process copper, gold and other valuable minerals, with project planning including infrastructure, stakeholder engagement, workforce and environmental considerations.

Alliance leaders highlighted recent exploration successes: CuFE has expanded mineral resources, Tennant Minerals reported its first Bluebird mineral resource, and Emmerson continues strong drilling outcomes at its Hermitage deposit.

The facility envisaged would aim to lower development costs, improve operational efficiency and support future resource development for all three companies.

“Alliance leaders highlighted recent exploration successes: CUF has expanded mineral resources, TMS reported its first Bluebird mineral resource, and ERM continues strong drilling outcomes at its Hermitage deposit,” Northern Territory Trade Minister Robyn Cahill said.

“The facility envisaged would aim to lower development costs, improve operational efficiency and support future resource development for all three companies.”

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