Tellus successfully completes field work at Sandy Ridge
- Local and Indigenous contractors safely and successfully complete the program
- Over 61 holes drilled (2,228 m) and 45 geotechnical sample pits excavated
- Initial results confirm no ground water aquifers
- Project remains on track both technically and commercially
The final phase of the kaolin mineral and environmental studies drilling for the Public Environmental Review (PER) has been completed. Plus the first phase of the geotechnical investigation for the facility planning for the Sandy Ridge Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) has concluded. This work was carried out safely and ahead of budget, on time and to specification using the services of a number of local and Indigenous contractors.
“Data collected during the field work campaign will be evaluated over the coming months. It will be used for the PER and form the basis for detailed engineering work in the BFS. Initial results confirm the Project remains on track both technically and commercially, with no fatal flaws and robust project economics,” said Tellus Managing Director Duncan van der Merwe.
The Sandy Ridge project is 240 km north-west of Kalgoorlie by road in Western Australia (WA). Mineral and environmental drilling used an air-core rig, with 61 holes (2,228m) completed for the dual use kaolin mine and storage facility planning.
Tellus is completing very innovative groundwater and soil research. Scientific data is being gathered to provide evidence for the PER that the kaolin bed has had no ground water for millions of years. Six groundwater monitoring boreholes were constructed. In addition, the air-core drilling program also provided a further 16 shallow holes for two sets of soil moisture and temperature monitoring instruments connected to data-loggers powered by solar energy.
“Our environmental research has involved domestic and international desktop studies and site specific field surveys over a two-year pre-development approval program. Our proposed Sandy Ridge project meets the environmental criteria recommended as best practice by international research, as well as those required under Australian legislation and codes of practice. Initial results confirm no ground water aquifers. This supports the case for safe storage and confirms there is no credible scenario for groundwater contamination” said Tellus Environment and Approvals Manager, Richard Phillips.
Geotechnical investigation work completed during this campaign included sampling of 12 borrow pits and 18 test pits along the access roads, 15 test pits throughout the construction areas and three fully cored and tested drill-holes (103m) in the project areas.
Survey work was also completed by establishing ground control stations and flying aerial photography and LIDAR (digital topographic surveying) that will be used in infrastructure site planning, surveying, and to create accurate 3D maps.
About Tellus Holdings:
Tellus Holdings Ltd is an infrastructure project development company with a proposed dual revenue infrastructure business model. This involves mining the commodities salt and kaolin and backfilling the voids left from mining with equipment, archives or long term storage of waste. Tellus plans to store like-with-like materials, so as to create opportunities for the future long- term, storage, treatment and recovery of valuable materials or the permanent isolation of waste. Tellus’ business model mirrors world’s best practice solutions operating in the UK, Europe, USA and Canada. Tellus is developing the Chandler project in the Northern Territory (NT) and the Sandy Ridge project in Western Australia. Tellus’ flagship ‘Chandler Project’ has been awarded Major Project Status by the Northern Territory Government.
For further information:
Visit: www.tellusholdings.com.au or contact:
Duncan van der Merwe
Managing Director
Tel: +61 (0)2 8257 3395
Corporate and Chandler Project:
Jane Munday
Michels Warren Munday (Media)
Mob: +61 (0)427 880 083
Sandy Ridge Project:
Cameron Morse
FTI Consulting (Media)
Tel: +61 (0)8 9485 8888
