Tivan breaks ground at Speewah

With all relevant regulatory and cultural heritage approval processes achieved by Tivan, the Speewah works will commence on October 16.

The milestone follows Tivan signing a heritage protection agreement (HPA) with the Kimberley Land Council (KLC), which outlines how Tivan will engage with Traditional Owners to protect cultural heritage and Native Title rights of the Speewah tenements E80/2863, E80/3657, M80/267, M80/268, M80/269 and L80/43.

“The board of Tivan wishes to acknowledge our constructive working relationship with the Traditional Owners of Speewah and the extensive cultural heritage processes that have been completed this year,” Tivan executive chairman Grant Wilson said.

“These workflows have enabled Tivan to commence on country in good time, while also establishing the foundations for durable alignment through the project life cycle.”

Tivan has facilitated cultural heritage surveys with EHSIS – the organiser of heritage surveys and reports on behalf of Traditional Owners and the KLC – for the proposed works at Speewah over the last six months.

EHSIS delivered its ethnographic work program heritage survey to Tivan on October 10, which provided the basis on which Tivan can proceed with its proposed work program in line with the HPA.

Tivan has also secured a ‘licence to take water’ for its planned drilling program at Speewah from the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. The licence is valid until April 6 2025, with Tivan planning to apply for a long-term licence through this interim period.

The company has also awarded its first civil works contract to Ngarranggarni Civil and Mining, an Aboriginal-owned civil construction company.

The Speewah fluorite project hosts an indicated and inferred resource of 37.3 million tonnes (Mt) at 9.1 per cent calcium fluoride for 3.39Mt calcium fluoride, including a high-grade component of 8.6Mt at 22.8 per cent calcium fluoride for 1.95Mt calcium fluoride.

Speewah’s pre-feasibility study said the project is expected to be a world-class resource in size, grade and location, with over 10 years of mine life.