The award of major project status by the Australian government recognises the national and strategic significance of WA-based Ardea Resources’ 100%-owned Kalgoorlie Nickel Project and its strategy to become an integrated feedstock supplier to the lithium ion battery sector.
Feasibility studies are under way on Australia’s largest nickel-cobalt critical minerals project, which has current JORC resources of 830Mt @ 0.71% for 5.9Mt contained Ni and 0.046% for 384,000t contained Co with scandium and other critical materials to be quantified.
MD Andrew Penkethman says the declaration would streamline its approvals process and provide access to additional sources of potential project funding.