29-05-2025
Tennant Creek hopes gold mine reopening marks return to 'gold capital'
Four decades after gold was last poured at Nobles Nob, the first bars of the precious metal have been produced at the mine's new processing plant.
It marks a return to large-scale gold production for the historic gold mining centre of Tennant Creek, a town of 3,000 people about 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs.
Tennant Mines said it planned to reach commercial production in July, ramping up to 52,000 ounces of gold production in 2026 and 100,000 ounces in three years.
At today's gold price, peak production would earn operators more than $500 million per year.
The community in the heart of the Northern Territory hopes the restarted mine will bring a return to the Barkly region's golden era.
Barkly Regional Council Mayor Sid Vashist said gold would help put the region back on the map.
"Barkly is no longer on the cusp, Tennant Creek is no longer on the cusp," Mr Vashist said.
Tennant Mines managing director Peter Main said 35 per cent of 160 newly created jobs would be filled by residents from the Barkly.
One in six jobs are currently filled by Indigenous Australians.
"Our policy is Indigenous engagement first, Barkly second, Territory third," Mr Main said.
"We are trying to work through programs with the Indigenous groups.
"That's a long-term plan."
The operators of the nearby Warrego Rehabilitation Project went into voluntary administration in April.
The iron ore project had promised about 70 jobs and up to $300 million for the NT.
Barkly MLA Steve Edgington said Nobles Nob's return was a boost for the region, as some other mining operations struggled.
Nobles Nob is the first project outside Africa for mid-tier gold producer Pan African Resources, which acquired Tennant Mining in November.
Pan African Resources CEO Cobus Loots said the project was the right fit for the company.
"For us it's about geology, and then also about the fit with the people," Mr Loots said.
"We found both geology and the people to be definitely aligned with what we look for."
Martijn Weezepoel has lived in Tennant Creek for 15 years, and shows off the towns history to visitors at the Battery Hill Gold Mining and Heritage Centre.
He hoped Nobles Nob's return would take the town back to its heyday.
"We're a very small town, so we need more people to come up here, more housing, more everything.
"As long as the government puts in a bit of effort and tries to get us up to speed, I think we really could make something out of it."
