Companies plan shared copper processing facility in Northern Territory

Three companies, Tennant Minerals, Emmerson Resources, and CuFe Ltd, are working together to create a shared copper processing facility in the Northern Territory. This collaboration is focused on processing copper, gold, and other critical minerals from their regional projects in the Tennant Creek area. The companies formed an alliance late last year to explore the feasibility of this processing facility. They believe this "stronger together" approach will benefit their companies and the local Barkly region by boosting copper mining and processing activities. Their technical teams and external consultants are currently collecting data for a scoping study to outline the best way to develop the facility. If the scoping study is successful, the alliance will progress to a pre-feasibility study. They will examine where to locate the processing plant and how to optimize their mining operations, including scheduling and environmental concerns. The alliance will also consider sharing resources to lower costs. CuFe is revising its resource estimates for its Orlando and Gecko deposits, while Tennant and Emmerson are developing mineral models for their projects. All three companies have made promising discoveries in the region in recent years and are open to collaborating with other local companies to enhance their partnership. Recent high prices for gold and copper make the establishment of a processing facility attractive. With gold prices exceeding US$3000 per ounce and copper prices reaching US$5.07 per pound, the companies see potential for significant development. Currently, the area lacks processing mills, which has left some mineral deposits stranded. The plans have received support from the Northern Territory's mines minister, who recognizes the economic benefits the project could bring to the region. Historically, Tennant Creek had several successful mines that contributed to a central processing facility, and this new alliance aims to revive that success in today's mining landscape.