South32 Limited has announced that its wholly-owned Hermosa Project has been confirmed by the U.S. Federal Permitting Improvement Steering Council as the first mining project added to the FAST-41 process.
According to South32, in order to qualify for the FAST-41 process, critical infrastructure projects must meet rigorous criteria to demonstrate their benefits to the country.
It noted that Hermosa is currently the only advanced project in the U.S. that could supply both zinc and manganese, both of which are federally designated critical minerals.
Hermosa’s inclusion in FAST-41 will support the development of an efficient and transparent process that supports the attainment of federal permits required for the later years of the company’s proposed development of the Taylor and Clark deposits within the project.
To date, the company has received all required permits to complete critical path dewatering activities, which will enable access to both the Taylor and Clark deposits.
The second water treatment plant is progressing to schedule and budget, with commissioning expected by June.
The Clark site is a manganese-zinc-silver oxide deposit that is interpreted as the upper oxidised, manganese-rich portion of the mineralised system that hosts the Taylor deposit.
Clark’s co-located mining development would benefit from the infrastructure that is shared with Taylor, including civil, power and water infrastructure.
The site could also house a plant that would produce high-purity manganese sulphate monohydrate to support the electric vehicle supply chain in North America.
South32 plans to continue working with the U.S. Government to establish a comprehensive coordinated project plan that would provide a more efficient and transparent pathway for federal approvals.
According to South32 CEO Graham Kerr, the inclusion of Hermosa as the first mining project added to the FAST-41 process is a milestone that recognises the project’s potential to boost the U.S.’ supply of critical minerals.
“Hermosa presents a significant opportunity to sustainably produce commodities critical to a low-carbon future,” Kerr added.
