Construction has started on $80M Onslow Salt project

16/7/97

Construction has begun on the $80 million Onslow Salt project, Western Australia's latest solar salt operation and newest resource development project.

At an on-site ground breaking ceremony near Onslow today, Resources Development Minister Colin Barnett congratulated Onslow Salt on the start-up of its 2.5 million tonne per annum salt field.

Onslow Salt will spend $80 million during the construction phase of the project on solar salt ponds, processing facilities and new port facilities at Onslow. The project was last week formally approved by the State Government, eight months after being boosted by Netherlands-based chemical company Akzo Nobel, which gave it financial backing.

"This is a major project for the township of Onslow, the Pilbara in general and Western Australia's reputation as a first class supplier of quality salt," Mr Barnett said.

"As the new multi-million dollar facilities progress, infrastructure in the region will be added to with the construction of a jetty and ship loader.

"The whole project is on target to be completed and producing high quality solar salt by the end of 1999, with the first export shipments by the turn of the century."

Mr Barnett said that with the energy needs of the project and its proximity to natural gas, the construction of a gas-fired power station to provide a source of cheaper energy was under consideration.

"This has the potential to give Onslow residents the opportunity to be supplied with electricity from a more efficient energy source than the present diesel-fired station," Mr Barnett said.

The solar salt operation was expected to employ 60 people during construction and 50 during production. It will produce 2.5 million tonnes per annum, bringing to 10 million tonnes the amount of solar salt to be exported from the State by the turn of the century.

Onslow Salt is a partnership between Netherlands-based chemical producer Akzo Nobel, which has a controlling interest in Onslow Salt Pty Ltd, Hanwha Corporation of Korea, PT Sempurna Caturguna of Indonesia and the WA firm of Gulf Holdings.

Akzo Nobel Chemicals International has its headquarters in the Netherlands and is a market-driven, technology-based company, serving customers throughout the world with health care products, coatings, chemicals and fibres.

Media contact: Justine Whittome (08) 9222 9699