The Gonneville Project was recently named a Strategic Project by the Government of Western Australia for its potential to deliver significant economic and energy transition benefits for the State and region.
It has also been awarded Major Project Status from the Commonwealth Government in recognition of its significance nationally in Australia’s critical minerals sector.
The Gonneville Project contains approximately 17 million ounces of palladium and platinum, 960 thousand tonnes of nickel, 540 thousand tonnes of copper and 96 thousand tonnes of cobalt. The Gonneville Deposit is the first significant Platinum Group Metals discovery in Australia, and a globally significant nickel deposit.
These minerals are required in large quantities to decarbonise the global economy, and significant shortages are predicted. They are essential to modern life and are used in technologies such as:
- Vehicles with electric, hybrid and internal combustion engines
- Lithium-ion batteries
- Electronics (phones, laptops etc.)
- Energy storage
- The production and use of hydrogen.
What does this mean?
Both the State and Commonwealth awards recognise the strategic importance of Gonneville as a critical minerals project. Chalice will be provided with coordination support from the Western Australian department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) and the Commonwealth Major Project Facilitation Agency.
This status does not change the rigorous approval requirements for the Project, which will continue to be assessed by the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) in WA and the Commonwealth Department of Climate Change Energy the Environment and Water (DCCEEW).