Cobalt Blue Holdings Ltd (ASX:COB, OTC:CBBHF) welcomes the new Minerals Royalty Rebate Scheme initiative of the Tasmanian Government to support the reopening of legacy mines and reprocessing of historic tailings.
The sustainable mining initiative aligns with Cobalt Blue’s ReMine Plus, which is addressing a massive global opportunity for critical mineral extraction and environmental rehabilitation of mine waste.
ReMine Plus technology
Cobalt Blue is an Australian company, which has optimised its ReMine Plus technology over seven years of research and development backed by a robust metallurgical flowsheet and proven capability to produce high-purity cobalt and nickel sulphate.
This technology offers a win-win solution. It not only facilitates the extraction of valuable resources from mine waste, it also promotes environmental rehabilitation through the removal of harmful acid-forming sulphide material that can also be commercialised.
Tasmania paves the way
Cobalt Blue's ReMine Plus manager Dr Helen Degeling said: “Tasmania is leading the way in Australia and globally by recognising the immense potential of reprocessing mine waste and this recent announcement paves the way for other states and nations to achieve a more sustainable and responsible mining industry.
“The Tasmanian Government’s support for this initiative, coupled with incentives to be offered through the rebate scheme, creates a favourable environment for sustainable mining practices.”
About the scheme
Announced by Minister for Business, Industry and Resources Eric Abetz on October 30, 2024, the Minerals Royalty Rebate Scheme will incentivise the reprocessing of historic tailings and encourage recommencement of operations at legacy mine sites, particularly where environmental rehabilitation can be achieved alongside mineral extraction.
Cobalt Blue, a leading developer of technology addressing the growing demand for critical minerals essential for the global energy transition, is testing mine tailings from various locations in Europe, Canada and Australia to confirm the global applicability of its ReMine Plus technology.
Ground-breaking technology
With a strong commitment to innovation and sustainability, the company's optimised metallurgical processes are at the forefront of the industry.
“We have successfully demonstrated the versatility of our technology by processing a wide range of metalliferous sulphides, including pyrite and pyrrhotite, commonly found in mine tailings”, said Dr Degeling.
“We have something ground-breaking to offer and are excited to explore potential collaborations with Tasmanian mining companies to leverage this technology and contribute to their communities, environments and sustainable mining future.”
Dr Degeling’s credentials
Dr Degeling is a seasoned geologist with extensive experience in industry, academia and government. She has held various roles in exploration and project management across Australia and internationally.
As previous Director of Minerals Geoscience for the Geological Survey of Queensland, she spearheaded initiatives focused on circular economy, secondary prospectivity and sustainable rare earth element processing.
In her current role at Cobalt Blue, Dr Degeling is dedicated to unlocking the potential of green metal extraction from mine waste, contributing to a sustainable energy transition.