Alba Mineral Resources plc needs to give further information to the regulatory authority on its applications to continue work at Clogau-St David’s gold mine and for Dolgellau gold exploration in north Wales.
LLECHFRAITH
In November 2021, Natural Resources Wales (NRW) refused permission for water transfer and discharge permits and a European Protected Species (EPS) licence for Alba’s proposed dewatering and safety and exploratory works at the main target within the Lower Llechfraith workings at Clogau.
The company submitted revised plans during October 2022.
Alba said today it had received “comments” from NRW covering a “relatively narrow set of points relating to the EPS [licence] including noise mitigation measures, biosecurity and the duration of the proposed exclusion measures for bats.”
The company aims to submit its responses, including further limited baseline data, within the next two weeks or so.
“Once it has confirmed that it has no outstanding queries, the company is hopeful that NRW will proceed to a decision soon thereafter on the grant of the permits so that the company’s dewatering activities may proceed,” added Alba.
DEFERRED WORK
The company said it would defer other “significant ground-based activities” in or next to Clogau which involve permitting including the waste tip for commercial exploitation.
“However, as soon as the permitting of these key activities has been secured, including the completion of the Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) which is at the same time being carried out by NRW in relation to the whole project, the company intends to push forward with its permitting and technical activities in relation to the waste tip.
“Generally, the company is hopeful that the HRA will provide the framework for a more streamlined permitting process moving forward.”
AEROMAGNETIC SURVEYS
Alba added it expected to hear by the end of April from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) on the company’s plans for a high-resolution aeromagnetic geophysical survey over certain high-grade regional gold targets within Dolgellau.
Sub-contractor UAVE Ltd will submit a variation to the CAA to allow flights within the newly created temporary danger area, which is expected to take around 30 days.
This will provide a window for the survey operations over the Dolgellau gold exploration project between June and August 2023