Larvotto gets green light to restart NSW Hillgrove gold-antimony mine
The long-awaited green light from the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure for its Modification 6 development application is a significant step, which catapults the company into final-stage financing discussions and unlocks a clear runway to production by 2026.
The project now appears primed to emerge as a globally strategic source of antimony - a critical mineral used in flame retardants, batteries and military applications - alongside a swag of gold.
The regulator's tick covers a broad range of development activities, including critical infrastructure upgrades and renewed access to underground workings, which are key to bringing the once-dormant operation roaring back to life.
'We're now entering final-stage financing discussions with confidence, backed by an approved, world-class project.'
Larvotto Resources managing director Ron Heeks
The new approvals also support the company's plans to roll out a new waste storage process by allowing for an increased tailings height as it shifts to dry-stacking, which Larvotto sees as a crucial step for the transition.
Larvotto opted for dry-stacked tailings at Hillgrove due to its environmental, engineering and cost advantages and because it is particularly suited to the site's steep terrain and existing infrastructure.
The process uses a filter press to reduce water content below 9 per cent to produce dry material, which is then compacted into a lined containment area. When the stack reaches its height limit, it's capped with topsoil to stabilise the structure and support revegetation.
The safer, more environmentally friendly process gained traction worldwide following the 2015 Mariana tailings dam disaster in Brazil.
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