IronClad chairman Ian Finch said the drilling program was in progress.
“There will be three open pits at the moment we are taking top of pits,” he said.
“All three pits will have infill drilling which identifies ore from the surface and drilling is in preparation of mining.”
Mr Finch said they won’t begin to mine until the company has infrastructure in place.
Ore will be transported along the Kimba to Cowell Road subject to the District Council of Franklin Harbour’s approval for the permit.
IronClad will be using double road trains to haul the ore to Lucky Bay.
Mr Finch said a recent survey of the Kimba to Cowell Road was identified as a suitable road to use for haulage.
“This is subject to an agreement with the Franklin Harbour Council, but we are seeking a permit
to use the road and it is the only road that we have looked at and in the short term there is no other methodology of transporting the ore,” he said.
GHD Consulting was appointed to survey and assess the Kimba to Cowell bitumen road and its suitability for iron ore transport in both double and triple road trains. The road is deemed suitable for double road trains provided that up to six culverts are strengthened at a modest capital cost.
Approval from the local Franklin Harbour Council will be sought to utilise the road under a permit system.
Initial discussions with the council have been positive, according to IronClad.
The capital requirement to enable triple road trains is still being assessed.
Qube Logistics Holdings Ltd is the preferred haulage contractor and haulage contracts are currently being finalised.
