The Queensland Government has declared the Sugarbag Hill Ultra High Purity Quartz Sand Project a prescribed development, enabling a streamlined approvals pathway for the proposed quarry and processing operations in North Queensland.
The $515 million project includes a quarry at Sugarbag Hill, about 17km from Forsayth, alongside pre-processing at Mount Garnett and further downstream processing near Townsville.
Deputy premier Jarrod Bleijie said the declaration would help reduce delays typically associated with large-scale resource developments.
“Declaring the Sugarbag Hill Ultra High Purity Quartz Sand Project a prescribed project ensures this development moves forward without unnecessary delays,” he said.
“This project will help strengthen Queensland’s critical minerals capability, inject hundreds of millions of dollars’ worth of investment and create hundreds of jobs in North and Far North Queensland.”
Ultra-high purity quartz is a key input for advanced manufacturing, including semiconductors, specialised glass and solar technologies, positioning the project within broader critical minerals supply chains.
The development is expected to generate approximately 600 construction jobs and 140 ongoing roles once operational, with activity spread across quarrying, processing and export logistics.
Minister for natural resources and mines Dale Last said the project would support employment across the resource value chain.
“This project will create hundreds of new jobs in the construction phase and ongoing operational jobs across the value chain right here in regional Queensland – from the quarry to the processing facilities and at the Port of Townsville,” he said.
“With the Queensland Resources Common User Facility and Graphinex’s Battery Anode Hub just down the road, we’re committed to building sovereign capacity right across the critical minerals sector.
“We’re serious about cutting red tape, driving faster approvals and delivering certainty to investors so they can get on with creating local jobs.”
Material extracted from the site is expected to be processed locally and exported via the Port of Townsville, reinforcing North Queensland’s role in mineral processing and bulk materials handling.
The coordinator-general will oversee the approvals process, working with government agencies and the project proponent to coordinate environmental, infrastructure and planning requirements.
Queensland coordinator-general Gerard Coggan said the designation would allow closer coordination between stakeholders.
“Our role is to ensure the approvals process progresses without unnecessary delay,” he said.
“This declaration allows us to work closely with all parties to deliver the economic and strategic benefits this project promises for Queensland.”
High Purity Quartz Ltd is targeting a final investment decision in early 2027, with construction anticipated to begin in 2028, subject to approvals. Chief executive officer Stuart Jones said the declaration will provide certainty for the project.
This declaration allows us to progress project approvals more efficiently and with greater certainty as we move through the Detailed Feasibility Study and Engineering stage,” Jones said.
“We welcome the Queensland Government’s support, which reinforces the strategic importance of our project to the State’s Critical Minerals Strategy.”
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