Tennant Creek mine dewatering pipeline gets green light

The Edna Beryl Gold Mine in the Northern Territory has received approval of its Mining Management Plan to construct a dewatering pipeline to extend the life of the mine by allowing access to deeper reaches of the deposit.

The new pipeline will follow the alignment of an original pipeline between Edna Beryl and the historic Northern Star Mine, 6km to the west. It will consist of 140mm diameter poly-pipe.

Minister for Primary Industry and Resources, Ken Vowles, said, “Creating local jobs is this government’s number one priority.

“Tennant Creek has a long, proud mining history, and the Territory Government is creating new mining opportunities for the region.

“When our government approved Edna Beryl officially opening last year, six immediate operator jobs were created, with additional personnel such as surveyors, engineers, geologists and truck drivers employed at various stages throughout operation.

“This latest approval means another four jobs during construction of the pipeline, including two positions for Aboriginal Territorians.

“The new pipeline will also mean the mine can grow and stay in production for longer, which could result in further jobs in the future.”

Member for Barkly, Gerry McCarthy, said, “The Edna Beryl Gold Mine is a real local success story — it was the first gold mine to open in Tennant Creek in more than a decade.

“Seeing the project receive approval for this next stage of development is exciting for our town.

“This announcement follows the news earlier this year that two tenders for work at legacy mines in the Tennant region were awarded to Territory Aboriginal-owned company Piening Holdings.”