EMED Mining Public Limited - Permitting Update
23.05.2013 | Marketwired
NICOSIA, CYPRUS -- (Marketwired) -- 05/23/13 -- EMED Mining Public Limited (AIM: EMED)
(TSX: EMD)
AIM: EMED
TSX: EMD 23 May 2013
EMED Mining Public Limited
("EMED Mining" or the "Company")
Permitting Progress Update
for Commencement of Site Works at Rio Tinto Copper Project
Highlights
* Production commissioning from the first mine remains scheduled to
start mid-2014, and the ramp up of its production remains scheduled
for the following 18 months;
* The Environmental Plan ("AAU") to have the same conditions with
regards to the tailings management facility ("TMF") as set last month
by the Department of Industry for Administrative Standing ("AS");
* The Company has completed the design work to satisfy these TMF
conditions, after reviews with the regulators and CEDEX, the
government's independent expert.
EMED Mining, the Europe-based minerals development and exploration
company, reports further progress towards the commencement of permitted
preliminary site works in Q3-2013, commissioning production at the
first planned mine in mid-2014 and ramping up its production over the
subsequent 18 months. Of particular note from a regulatory viewpoint is
the satisfactory settlement of conditions which determine refinements
to the TMF, so that the AAU and AS can now be finalised as precursors
to the major site works.
Background
The two principal regulatory authorities, the Andalucian Government's
Departments of Industry and Environment have both now formally written
to confirm their requirements for finalising AS and AAU respectively;
essentially, that the two sets of documents reflect the conditions for
AS as summarised in the Company's announcement dated 15 April 2013. As
previously reported, these conditions were set by the Department of
Industry to refine the TMF to reflect the following design parameters:
* restricting the existing dam wall to the previously permitted
height;
* the future transition to high density tailings to reduce water on
the tailings deposit;
* the progressive sealing of the surface of the tailings deposit
during operations; and
* ensuring sufficient holding capacity to support initial base case
production plans.
All these refinements have been satisfactorily dealt with and settled
by the Company and its advisers for civil engineering, tailings
handling, hydrology and restoration, after discussion with the
regulators and the Government's independent technical review agency
CEDEX. This followed the drilling and other due diligence programs
completed in March 2013, having been implemented after the Company's
acquisition on 28 August 2012 of the two thirds of the TMF previously
owned by third parties.
The project timetable has been refined to preserve the plan to start
commissioning production in mid-2014. The formalisation of the AAU and
AS are now on a revised path for completion around the end of Q3-2013,
having taken into account the TMF conditions set last month. Some site
housekeeping along with starting personnel training is scheduled for
Q3-2013.
Harry Anagnostaras-Adams, Managing Director and CEO of EMED Mining,
commented:"We are immensely pleased that the Government has, through its
actions,
reiterated its policy commitment to the restart. The Andalucian
Government's two regulatory authorities which issue the key permits
required for construction have now confirmed the same conditions will
be applied to the tailings management facility, to serve both their
environmental and economic agendas in a complementary and integrated
manner."Environmentally, the conditions make the plan safer, allow
progressive
environmental restoration during operations and avoid the premature
disturbance of more land. Economically, the conditions preserve the
base case for production and, in due course, will also serve expansion
scenarios after the refinements have been optimised in the field during
operations."The Company and the authorities will continue to adjust the
timetable
for permitting and start-up activities to ensure site activities
escalate in a prudent sequential manner that is in line with regulatory
permitting and to start commissioning production in mid-2014."
For more information please contact:
EMED Mining Harry Anagnostaras-Adams +357 9945 7843
RFC Ambrian Stuart Laing +61 8 9480 2500
Fox-Davies Capital Susan Walker +44 203 463 5022
Bishopsgate Communications Nick Rome +44 207 562 3350
Proconsul Capital Andreas Curkovic +1 416 577 9927
This information is provided by RNS
The company news service from the London Stock Exchange
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