The Government of South Australia has recently approved Sandfire’s application for a Program for Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation (PEPR) for the Kalkaroo Copper-Gold Project.
The Department for Energy and Mining’s (DEM) PEPR approval means the work program and activities agreed between Sandfire and Havilah Resources at Kalkaroo can now commence, including full mobilisation onsite in remote South Australia, near the border with New South Wales.
Ian Kerr, President Projects and Studies, said the PEPR approval was a significant milestone for the Project, with further environmental and other approvals to follow.
“Thanks to the commitment and hard work of our team, we’ve been able to achieve this approval in a relatively short timeframe, and we are now in a position to progress our onsite activities and Study schedule at Kalkaroo,” Ian said.
Under the Definitive Transaction Agreement finalised with Havilah in February 2026, Sandfire has committed to fund a new pre-feasibility study (PFS) including a 130,000-metre infill and extension drilling program at Kalkaroo.
Under the Strategic Alliance Agreement, Sandfire has committed a minimum A$30 million to support regional exploration across prescribed tenements in the Curnamona Province, covering 8,847 square kilometres across an initial 24-month period. This will involve drilling, as well as seismic and geophysical surveys.
Work on Sandfire’s 80-person exploration camp at Kalkaroo is now expected to start in early June and take about six weeks to complete.
Construction of an onsite core processing facility will also start in June and is likely to be completed in late August.
The first of six drilling rigs will mobilise to site over forthcoming weeks, to start work on the drilling campaign at Kalkaroo, with Havilah having secured additional rigs to drill targets identified under the Strategic Alliance in the Curnamona Province.
“We’ve been working closely with Havilah on the regional exploration program which lies to the north of Kalkaroo, and we’re excited that drilling will soon get under way,” said President Exploration Scott Thomas.
