-
Richmond,
North-West Qld -
On-site
Processing -
Gold
Big Vein South Gold Project
The historic Woolgar goldfield, located north of Richmond in North West Queensland, sits within a resource rich area of northern Queensland that hosts several major gold deposits. This area has a long history with small-scale mining dating back to the goldfield’s discovery in the late 1800s.
Strategic Minerals Corporation (SMC), a wholly owned subsidiary of QGold Pty Ltd, has explored the Woolgar area for more than three decades. The sustained exploration effort has resulted in the discovery of the Big Vein South deposit.
The Big Vein South Gold Project proposes to develop this deposit as an open-cut gold mine.
Project Status
Having advanced the Big Vein South Gold Project through exploration and feasibility, the proponent is now progressing the project toward development.
Strategic Minerals Corporation holds an existing Environmental Authority for exploration and low-risk mining activities across the Big Vein South mining leases. SMC has applied for a new site-specific Environmental Authority under the Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994, and approval under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) to progress the Big Vein South Gold Project into the construction and operations stage.
The Big Vein South Gold Project has been declared a Prescribed Project by the Queensland Government in recognition of the Project’s significance to Queensland with the Big Vein South deposit recognised as one of Queensland’s major new mineral deposits. The project is expected to deliver significant economic benefits, including up to approximately 984 jobs at the peak of construction and around 380 during operations, along with substantial royalty and tax contributions to Queensland.
Quick Facts
- Location: ~120 km by road from Richmond, North West Queensland
- Proponent: Strategic Minerals Corporation Pty Ltd
- Product: Gold doré
- Mining method: Open-cut
- Processing: On-site processing plant
- Production: ~100,000 oz gold doré per year
- Mine life: ~11 years (plus rehabilitation and closure)
- Workforce: Up to ~984 (construction peak); ~380 (operations)
- Status: Environmental approvals underway
Site-specific Environmental Authority (Queensland EP Act)
A site-specific Environmental Authority is being sought under the Queensland Environmental Protection Act 1994 for the construction and operation of the Big Vein South Gold Project. The application is supported by an Environmental Assessment Report (EAR) and a Progressive Rehabilitation and Closure Plan (PRCP). The application documents, including responses to the DETSI information request and information on how to access the documents, are available below.
Preliminary Documentation (Commonwealth EPBC Act)
The project was declared a controlled action under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and is being assessed by preliminary documentation. The documentation assesses the project’s potential impacts on matters of national environmental significance and is published here for public comment. The documents are available below.