Aguia Intensifies Community Outreach Ahead of Public Hearings for Três Estradas Phosphate Project
TORONTO, May 15, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Brazilian fertilizer developer Aguia Resources Ltd. (ASX:AGR) (TSXV:AGRL) (“Aguia” or “the Company”) is pleased to update all stakeholders on the numerous activities underway in the local community as part of the consultation process in advance of the Preliminary License approval.
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Over the last six months the Company has broadened its communication program and hosted a number of events to explain plans for Três Estradas to the local community, and to present the Company as a good corporate neighbour. The program has included a series of workshops with members of the local community, sponsoring cultural events in Lavras do Sul and at the State Capital Porto Alegre, and giving presentations of the project at conferences (see table below for more details).
Aguia’s Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) was filed with the State Environmental Agency (FEPAM) in October 2016. Subsequently, engineering optimisations identified from trade-off studies resulted in a number of modifications and improvements to the project and a revised version of the EIA was filed in September 2017. FEPAM is reviewing the EIA and Aguia expects to receive their technical evaluation in the coming months. The Agency’s technical staff have conducted one site visit and a second site visit is being arranged. After the Agency is satisfied with the technical content of the EIA, public hearings will be organised with the local communities.
Technical Director Dr. Fernando Tallarico commented, “Environmental permitting has become a very detailed and technically sophisticated process. We are happy with progress so far and with the high technical standards that our team has delivered. We plan to intensify community activities as we approach the public hearings, which will be an important component for granting of the Preliminary License.”
Managing Director Justin Reid added, “The approval of the EIA will result in the issuance of the Preliminary License, a key milestone in the development of a mining project in Brazil. Our EIA was prepared by respected environmental consultants Golder & Associates who conducted a rigorous evaluation. Filing a revised EIA last September has extended the evaluation timeline, but we believe the modifications are well worth it as the optimisations have substantially reduced the project’s environmental footprint. It is critical that Aguia establishes itself as a valued member of the local community and our team has done a great job so far on outreach and education. We intend on being a committed member of the Lavras do Sul community and economy for many years to come.”
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at:
http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/563f99ed-2a52-4ef4-a1f2-913256a80ab6
http://resource.globenewswire.com/Resource/Download/c42a9c08-ec78-4ef9-a7c9-00d5d427275e
| Event | Objective | Date |
| Photography Exhibition | Sponsored an exhibition by local photographers whose work focuses on rural life in Lavras do Sul. Photographs available on the Três Estradas Project site: http://projetofosfato.com.br/exposicao-letra-luz/ | September 2017 |
| Lavras – Expolavras 2017 | The Company had a booth at the local agribusiness show and organized a series of activities with the local community to provide updates on the project. | October 2017 |
| Project Presentation at the Federal University of the Pampas - Unipampa | Institutional relationship building | October 2017 |
| Project Presentation at the Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul - UFRGS | Institutional relationship building | November 2017 |
| Ovinofest 2017 | The Company had a booth at the local sheep farming show and organized a series of activities with the local community to provide updates on the project. | December 2017 |
| Spokesman training | Prepare Aguia’s personnel for the upcoming public hearings | Since October 2017 |
| Participation in meetings of the Santa Maria Basin Committee | Update members of the Committee on the progress of the project | Monthly |
| Media Plan | Advertising with local radio, newspaper, as well in social media to update the community on the progress of the project | Since March 2018 |
| Project presentation for biology students of the Federal University of Pelotas – UFPel | Institutional relationship building | March 2018 |
| Project presentation for geology students of the Vale do Rio dos Sinos University -Unisinos | Institutional relationship building | April 2018 |
| Visit to the land owners located within the project area | Provide details on the project footprint. | March 2018 |
| Filing of the Archeological Assessment Report at IPHAN (Historical and Archeological Authority) | Part of the permitting process | April 2018 |
| Project Presentation at the II Southern Brazil Symposium of Mining, Metallurgy and Exploration – SISBRAMME | Institutional relationship building | May 2018 |
For further information, please contact:
Justin Reid, Managing Director
E: jreid@aguiaresources.com.au
T: +1 416-216-5446
Spyros Karellas, Investor Relations North America
E: spyros@pinnaclecapitalmarkets.ca
T: +1 416-433-5696
Released through: Ben Jarvis, Six Degrees Investor Relations: +61 413 150 448
Follow Aguia on Twitter: @ Aguia_Resources
About Aguia:
Aguia Resources Ltd., (“Aguia”) is an ASX and TSX Venture listed company whose primary focus is on the exploration and development of phosphate projects in Brazil. Aguia has an established and highly experienced in-country team based in Belo Horizonte, Brazil with corporate offices in Sydney, Australia. Aguia’s key projects are located in Rio Grande do Sul, a prime farming area which is 100% dependent on phosphate imports. The Rio Grande phosphate deposits exhibit high quality and low-cost production characteristics, and are ideally located with proximity to road, rail, and port infrastructure. Aguia’s experienced management team has a proven track record of advancing high quality mining assets to production in Brazil.
Cautionary Statement on Forward Looking Information
This press release contains "forward-looking information" within the meaning of applicable Canadian and Australian securities legislation. Forward-looking information includes, without limitation, statements regarding the EIA, community relations and activities, the economics of the Tres Estradas project, the next steps for the Tres Estradas project, the path to receiving permits and licenses for the Tres Estradas project, the marketing and market for phosphate and aglime, the anticipated mining and production of the Tres Estradas project, the metallurgical results, production targets, the anticipated timetable, permitting, forecast financial information, and ability to finance the project, and the prospectivity and potential of the Tres Estradas project.
Generally, forward-looking information can be identified by the use of forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates", "forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or "believes", or variations of such words and phrases or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved". The material factors and assumptions underlying the forward‑looking information of the Mineral Resource Statement results have been outlined above and will be detailed in the associated technical report.
Forward-looking information is subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including risks inherent in the mining industry and risks described in the public disclosure of the Company which is available under the profile of the Company on SEDAR at www.sedar.com, on the ASX website at www.asx.com.au and on the Company's website at www.aguiaresouces.com.au. These risks should be considered carefully.
Although the Company has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in forward-looking information, there may be other factors that cause results not to be as anticipated, estimated or intended. Persons reading this news release are cautioned that such statements are only predictions and there can be no assurance that such information will prove to be accurate, as actual results and future events could differ materially from those anticipated in such statements. Accordingly, readers should not place undue reliance on forward-looking information. The Company disclaims any intent or obligation to update or revise any forward looking statements whether as a result of new information, estimates, options, future events, results or otherwise and does not undertake to update any forward-looking information, except in accordance with applicable securities laws.
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