Western Australia quarry set to rock

EXPRESSIONS of interest are being sought for a seldom offered-to-the-market Western Australia quarry at Lot 49 Lechenaultia Drive, Hopetoun.

With a substantial 63.1925ha* land area, the property is zoned as ‘Rural Resource’ and has operated as a quarry for many years, although that was incidental to the owner’s main business of land subdivision.

The asset is being marketed and sold by Ray White Commercial (WA) Principal and Director Russ Parham and Sales and Leasing Lachlan Burrows.

Mr Parham said the Hopetoun quarry, that sits 590km* south-east of Perth, was unique due to the very high calcium carbonate content of the limestone that is found there.

“The geologist’s report estimates there are up to 50 million tons of limestone with 30-40 per cent calcium carbonate, making the product highly suited to Agricultural Lime production, as well as for use in the mining industry for gold and copper extraction operations.,” he said.

“Given its location in the far south of the state, it’s well placed to provide Agricultural Lime for the broadacre farming undertaken through the Hopetoun, Ravenswood and Esperance regions.

“Farms throughout the region are regular users of the product to improve the soil and enhance the crop yields.

“Sand and gravel has also been extracted from the quarry, with significant amounts of these resources remaining for the future life of the quarry.”

Mr Burrows said very little of the identified resource had been excavated and the opportunity existed to establish the property as an income producing asset.

“Limestone, sand and gravel have been taken from the site for a number of years, although currently, the limestone pit is small. There’s capability of increasing its size as limestone is extracted in the future,” he said.

“Limestone of this uniquely high calcium carbonate content is also valuable in the neutralisation of acid mine drainage (AMD) in mine tailings dams and settling ponds.

“The neutralisation of AMD by limestone proved to be effective in various laboratory tests and real-scale applications worldwide.”

*Approximately.