Alien Metals has achieved a significant milestone in the development of its Hancock iron ore project in the central Pilbara region of Western Australia, with the grant of a 21-year term mining lease.
The mining lease, M47/1633, was granted by the Western Australian Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety for rights to the land until 17 April 2045.
Go deeper with GlobalData
Discover B2B Marketing That Performs
Combine business intelligence and editorial excellence to reach engaged professionals across 36 leading media platforms.
Alien Metals has previously announced the completion of several key milestones, including the execution of Heritage Agreements with the Karlka Nyiyaparli Aboriginal Corporation RNTBC for the Hancock Project.
Additionally, a miscellaneous licence has been granted, which will allow Alien Metals to construct necessary infrastructure for site access, subject to a final investment decision.
Furthermore, Alien Metals signed a conditional, non-binding memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pilbara Ports for access to the Utah Bulk Handling Facility in Port Hedland.
This MOU is pivotal in securing a formal commitment from Pilbara Ports to export iron ore from the Hancock Project.
US Tariffs are shifting - will you react or anticipate?
Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard. Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis.
By GlobalDataAlien Metals executive director Guy Robertsonsaid: “This is a further significant step on the pathway to production for the Hancock Project. The company has made significant progress and is now in discussion with various parties regarding the required development funding.
“The technical team is currently focused on mining proposal submission and environmental assessment.
“It continues to assess strategies for increasing the existing resources and reserves, which is expected to significantly increase the value of the project. In addition, the company will proceed with necessary heritage clearances.”
Last year, Regroup Australia was tapped by Alien Metals to provide mining operations and haulage services for its Hancock project.
Currently, the Hancock tenements comprise a Joint Ore Reserve Committee (JORC)-compliant resource of 8.4 million tonnes iron ore at 60% iron. It offers significant exploration upside targeted to deliver a mining operation of two million tonnes per annum for ten years.
