Strategic Minerals' (SML ) wholly owned subsidiary Leigh Creek Copper Mine (“LCCM”) has today re-lodged the Project’s Program for Environmental Protection and Rehabilitation (“PEPR”).
The AIM-listed producing mineral company informed investors in a late morning statement that LCCM has submitted the revised PEPR to the Department of Energy and Mining (“DEM”) of South Australia addressing the conditional elements of the DEM’s July 2021 approval.
‘The long lead time, in responding to the conditional PEPR approval, reflected the need to collect samples of cover for the waste rock dumps and the subsequent testing and analysis of this material in an erosion model to evaluate cover designs,’ the firm outlined to investors.
The UK-based company explained that this work was accelerated, ‘as much as possible’, by calling on existing networks and working closely with the consultants undertaking the work.
The other major component of the work was the evaluation of the Potential Acid Forming (“PAF”) nature of the ore and waste rock which required selecting and then collecting samples from the 2019 drilling program and undertaking Acid Rock Drainage and kinetic testing.
SML, which says this is ‘a boost’ for the project, said the work identified that the waste rock at Paltridge North has ’a low capacity to produce acid, and that this capacity PAF material ‘can be co-disposed with run of mine waste, which has adequate neutralising capability.’
The Company said it expects to receive DEM’s approval for the oxide only case for the PEPR, which should cover the first 12+ months of production and then follow up with revision 10 of the PEPR, ‘which will address only the additional mining of the transitional ore,’ it detailed.
The company told investors that it is confident that, after the revision is assessed by the Department of Energy and Mining, that it will be able to start operations at Leigh Creek.
The Group said the process will not impact the expected timing or economics for the project.
Alan Broome AM, Non-Executive Chairman of Strategic Minerals, said: “The Company has worked closely with the DEM and feels confident that its review of the submitted PEPR revision will be assessed in less than the maximum statuary requirement of three months.
He added that: “Whilst no guarantees can be provided, the Company is hopeful that, after this revision has been assessed by the DEM and subject to receipt of Project funding, it will be in a position to commence operations at LCCM.”
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