Tuesday, 19 September, 2006

by Kate Sieper
ABC Country Hour

The development of a new open-cut mine near Batchelor is expected to bring more than $150 million to the Territory each year and create 80 permanent jobs. Compass Resources aims to have the Browns Oxide facility up and running by the middle of next year and the company says today is the result of a long community consultation process. Richard Swann is the managing director and he says while an environmental bond of $70,000 might not seem much it will be reviewed annually.

"We will progressively rehabilitate as we go through the project and if the NT Government assess there is not enough money in the kitty to meet our requirements then they will increase that bond. We have given those undertakings in the mine mangement plan."