Metminco receives construction approval from Colombia authorities

Metminco announced on Thursday that it has received approval from the Corporacion Autonoma Del Risaralda (CARDER), the environmental agency in the Department of Risaralda, Colombia, to construct up to 2,000 metres of underground development.

The AIM-traded firm said the development would be under its existing Plan De Manejo Ambiental, covering the Miraflores exploration licence which is an exploitation licence.

It said it had been working with the CARDER on the resolution since March 2017.

“The exploration development approved by CARDER will allow the company to expose the previously-defined ore zones on multiple levels and complete infill diamond drilling for stope definition ahead of a final decision to construct the processing facilities and supporting infrastructure,” said managing director William Howe.

“The development to be undertaken will include providing access to the underground via a decline, development of a ventilation system for the mine, cross cutting and on reef driving on multiple levels.”

Howe said the company would also assess the possibility of trucking ore from the mine to a processing facility nearby, to gain large scale bulk processing information ahead of a decision to construct the processing facilities at Miraflores.

“The approval from the CARDER allows for the discharge of water from the underground development and development of waste and ore dumps on surface,” Howe confirmed.

“The company is on track to finalise the Miraflores feasibility study during the third quarter [of] 2017.”