About Gonneville
No. The Project does not include a mine in the Julimar State Forest.
The Gonneville Project is located on Chalice-owned farmland to the south. This land is already approximately 56% cleared from previous agricultural use.
Chalice does not limit community access to the State Forest.
Chalice made the decision to restrict the Gonneville Project mine development area to farmland only, avoiding the Julimar State Forest. This decision was a direct response to community feedback about the importance of the State Forest.
No. The Gonneville Project is not yet a mine.
Chalice has commenced a Pre-Feasibility Study (PFS) which will include more detailed investigations into how the Gonneville Project can be environmentally sound, economically viable and socially responsible.
If Chalice is successful in gaining all required approvals, and the Project is found to be viable, it is estimated that construction and operations would occur later this decade.
Chalice commenced environmental approvals process with the State and Commonwealth governments in March 2024.
The deposit discovered at Gonneville hosts a rare mix of critical minerals – palladium, platinum, nickel, copper and cobalt.
These minerals are essential to modern life and are used in technologies such as; pollution management devices for cars, electric vehicles, lithium-ion batteries, electronics like phones and laptops, energy storage technologies, and green hydrogen generation.
These minerals are required in large quantities to decarbonise the global economy and significant shortages are predicted.
The Gonneville deposit 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 Project has the potential to become an important critical minerals mine that could deliver substantial economic and social benefits to the state and local communities.
Chalice’s geologists discovered the Gonneville deposit in early 2020 after investigating publicly available data. This data showed promising geological features at the Gonneville location, consistent with an area that may contain minerals. This prompted Chalice to apply for exploration tenements in the region and complete further exploration activities. Initial drilling completed proved that there are minerals at the Gonneville location, with the first drill hole samples showing high levels of nickel and palladium.
For more information about early exploration techniques, see the AMEC information sheets on the Chalice Mining website: click here to read
The environmental approvals processes are expected to take approximately 3 years to complete.
Before it can be approved the Project will be subject to a comprehensive environmental assessment by the State and Commonwealth governments. Once the assessments have begun, Chalice will prepare an Environmental Review Document outlining the proposed mine and the outcomes of the further studies currently in progress.
The ERD will be made available for the community to review and comment on as the Project develops.
Chalice has been engaging with Traditional Owners since 2021. The Gonneville Project is located in the Whadjuk Indigenous Land Use Agreement Area.
Cultural Heritage surveys have been conducted by Whadjuk Traditional Owners across the entire Mine Development Envelope area. Whadjuk have also participated in environmental surveys that have been completed at Gonneville and the broader region.
Chalice will prioritise local employment and procurement wherever possible and expects these opportunities to grow significantly throughout construction and operations. Current opportunities are limited as work is focused on desktop studies such as engineering and regulatory approvals.
Currently the preference for operation is a residential workforce ie. workers who will attend work at site and return home daily. This approach may involve transport hubs or alternate transport options to be created for workers to access site, reducing traffic impacts. What these arrangements look like will depend on the location of the workforce.
There are a range of ways you can contact Chalice to get more information or ask questions:
Gonneville Project Facebook Page – Click here to follow us on Facebook for regular updates or ask a question directly by messaging the page
In person: Visit the Chalice Toodyay Office to speak to our team, pick up information sheets and discuss any questions you have. The Chalice Toodyay Office is located at 5 Charcoal Lane, Toodyay (next to IGA), open every Thursday morning from 8.30-11.30am
Email: community@chalicemining.com
Phone: Call our team on 0487 371 961 (9am – 4pm, Monday to Friday)
Development
There is no existing piped water infrastructure at the Gonneville Project, so water will need to be brought in to supply a mine. Chalice will not be sourcing groundwater at Gonneville for mining operations.
Multiple options are being explored in consultation with Water Corporation.
Water supply options during construction are still being investigated further and may include temporary local sources and/or third-party suppliers.
Chalice recognises that water is a critical shared resource that must be managed efficiently and responsibly.
Current power supply to the Gonneville site does not meet the expected requirements for construction or operations.
Chalice has commenced discussions with Western Power to investigate power options.
Infrastructure developed to supply power to site may support additional power options in the local region.
Transportation corridors are still in design with road and/or existing rail infrastructure options being considered in consultation with government agencies and other stakeholders.
Transport requirements and potential routes will continue to be investigated throughout the approvals process.
The Gonneville deposit starts at surface and therefore an initial open pit mine is proposed on Chalice-owned farmland. In later years, the Project may progress into an underground mine.
Open pit and underground mining options continue to be investigated.
A conceptual Mine Closure Plan (MCP) will be investigated and finalised during the environmental approvals process.
The Project will develop the MCP in consultation with stakeholders and in accordance with the Mining Act 1978.
Mine closure will only be complete after Chalice fulfils the requirements of the closure plan, and can prove that the final rehabilitated land is safe, stable and non-polluting.