AIC Mines has received all the approvals required for its new Jericho mine and Eloise processing plant expansion in North-West Queensland.
In its latest quarterly report, the company said the Jericho Site Specific Environmental Authority and associated Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan had been approved, clearing the way for full scale mining and ore production from Jericho.
A minor amendment to the Eloise Environmental Authority was also approved, allowing for construction of the expanded processing plant items and processing of Jericho ore.
The Jericho Access Drive remains on schedule to reach first development ore in June next year at the Jericho deposit, 4km south of the Eloise processing plant.
The access drive is being built underground from the 1065 Level on the Eloise decline (125m below surface).
It had reached 1549m of its planned 3000m total distance at the end of the quarter. Raise boring for the mid-way ventilation rise is expected to begin in the September quarter.
Meanwhile, AIC Mines said results from an 11,000m program of resource definition and extension drilling completed at the Jericho deposit in the past three months had exceeded expectations.
They show that the northern end of the Jericho deposit – closer to the Jericho link drive and Eloise processing facility – is higher-grade and more continuous than previously thought.
The company said this had important positive implications for the mine ramp-up.
An Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) contract for the expansion of the Eloise processing plant to 1.1Mtpa capacity was awarded to GR Engineering last month.
Earthworks are expected to commence in August for the Eloise processing plant expansions.
Construction of new plant items should begin in October, with an expected commissioning period in the December 2026 quarter.