Cape Flattery Silica Sand project

Status

EIS active

Jobs

80 (construction) + 80 (operational)

Investment

$240 million

Project overview*

EIS statusEIS active
Description Greenfield silica sand mine and processing plants producing up to 4 million tonnes per annum of run-of-mine silica sand for export, for up to 15 years.
Proponent Cape Flattery Silica Pty Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Diatreme Resources Ltd.
Location/s

42km northeast of Hope Vale and 200km north of Cairns.

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Local government/s Hope Vale Aboriginal Shire Council and Cook Shire Council
Investment

Up to $240 million

Key features
  • open cut silica sand mine
  • mine infrastructure area
  • two processing plants, product stockpile area and conveyors
  • jetty and marine offloading infrastructure within the Port of Cape Flattery, for transport to ocean-going vessels
Construction start date 2025
Jobs
  • 80 (construction)
  • 80 (operational)

* Project information supplied by proponent and subject to change.

Environmental impact statement (EIS) process

DateActivity
Currently Draft terms of reference for EIS and comments being assessed.
3 June 2024 to 8 July 2024 Draft terms of reference ( 630.4 KB) for EIS public consultation.
15 December 2023 Gazettal (PDF icon 247 KB) of 'coordinated project' declaration.
23 November 2023

Application, including initial advice statement (PDF icon 18 MB) submitted.

16 January 2023 Australian Minister for the Environment and Water decided the project is a ‘controlled action’. 

A project that has the potential to have a significant impact on matters of national environmental significance is called a 'controlled action' and requires approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).

Further information

Read more about the EIS process.

Last updated: 3 March 2026

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