The South African Department of Mineral Resources and Energy has granted Orion Minerals a mining right for the Flat Mines area of its Okiep copper project.
The mining right is valid for a 15-year period, and could be renewed on application for a further period, not exceeding 30 years.
Company chief executive Errol Smart said the grant of the mining right is a major step forward for Orion and its objective of early production of copper.
“Our bankable feasibility study on the granted mining right area is at an advanced stage, and can now be completed with access to the property for bulk sampling and final confirmation drilling purposes,” he said.
A 2021 scoping study into the project estimated that the 780 000 t/y operation could have a mine life of nearly 12 years, producing 386 000 t/y of copper concentrate.
Feasibility studies to upgrade the scoping study for the project are due in early 2023.
Mathew Nyaungwa, Editor in Chief of the African Bureau, Rough&Polished
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