West Perth-based Moly Mines Ltd has signed a native title agreement with the Njamal people of the Pilbara, ahead of the planned release of its feasibility study into the $600 million Spinifex Ridge project later this month.
West Perth-based Moly Mines Ltd has signed a native title agreement with the Njamal people of the Pilbara, ahead of the planned release of its feasibility study into the $600 million Spinifex Ridge project later this month.
The land access deed, which addresses native title requirements specified under mining regulations, provides employment and education programs, heritage protection and financial benefits to the Njamal community.
Moly managing director, Derek Fisher, said the agreement formalised the granting process for mining tenure, and secured tenure for plant sites, easement routes, infrastructure and support services, including the site camp and air strip.
Mr Fisher said employment was one of the main priorities in the agreement.
“We will make positions available to members of the Njamal community,” he said. “Some of these will be based on the ability to share the job with other members of the community.”
Moly does not currently have any full-time workers from the Njamal community.
Mr Fisher said job sharing arrangements would provide flexibility for Aboriginal workers to meet cultural obligations.
“We’d also much rather employ the locals than fly people in from Perth or Geraldton,” he said.
Mr Fisher said education and training would also be provided under the agreement.
“We recognise the need for further training, given the shortage of people in the resources industry, and we may have to allow for personnel training,” he said.
Mr Fisher would not provide details on the financial benefits provided to the Njamal community, but said funding would be provided to assist with community projects that had not yet been identified.
Some of the funding will be used in the maintenance of traditional law and culture.
A monitoring and liaison committee has also been established to facilitate ongoing dialogue between Moly and the Njamal community.
The committee has held two meetings to date.
“We have created a position for a liaison officer, which will be filled by someone from the Njamal community, and we’re looking at candidates now,” Mr Fisher told WA Business News.
The native title agreement places a mining exclusion over Coppin Gap, which is an area of cultural and ethnographic significance to the Njamal people.
Morris Coppin, of the Njamal people, said the deal balanced cultural concerns with commercial realities.
“This agreement recognises the importance of Coppin Gap by making it a no-go area, but still shows that Njamal people are serious commercial negotiators,” Mr Coppin said.
Moly, which is listed on the Toronto ans Australian stock exchanges, will release its feasibility study into the Spinifex Ridge project in the next few weeks.
The mine is expected to produce 20 million tonnes per annum of molybdenum, which is used to strengthen stainless steel and specialty steels.
