FMG set to start exploring Great Southern for lithium ‘in coming months’ after approval of 20 licenses

A Fortescue Metal Group spokesman has confirmed the company is on the lookout for lithium in the Great Southern after a number of successful exploration licence applications in the region. FMG made 20 applications to the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety for exploration licences at the start of August. The department subsequently approved all 20 of those applications in October. An FMG spokesman said an initial exploration phase “will commence in the coming months” and that the initial work will not occur on private property. The licences include areas in the shires of Gnowangerup, Jerramungup, Broomehill-Tambellup, Lake Grace, Kent and Ravensthorpe. DMIRS executive director of resource tenure Kristian Dawson said the holder of an exploration licence can extract up to 1000t of material in accordance with conditions of the licence. “Once an exploration licence is granted, the mining tenement holder is required to submit, and have approved by DMIRS, a program of work prior to any ground disturbance activities that use mechanised equipment,” she said. “DMIRS will assess the PoW to ensure the proposed activities comply with all conditions of consent and will not have any adverse environmental impact on the area. “No ground disturbing equipment is permitted to be used unless it is described in an approved PoW, and if approved, exploration activities may also be subject to conditions to protect the environment.” A requirement of the licence also means that any disturbed land must be rehabilitated within six months of ground disturbance unless otherwise approved in writing by a DMIRS environmental officer.