Anglesey Mining plc will submit a fresh plans including new surface infrastructure, a tailings management facility, a decline portal and some small ventilation shaft collars for Parys Mountain.
MINING
The decision follows completion and submission on 31 July of its environmental impact assessment (EIA) scoping report which raised reasons for a new application.
Anglesey ruled out altering its existing application partly because it has since identified additional mineral resources during recent exploration drilling.
The company additionally aims to avoid any potential damage to heritage and biodiversity assets, designated since the last permission, which was a “major” factor in determining the location of new proposed surface infrastructure.
Since the original planning permission technological changes also offer “more efficient methods of mining, ore processing, pollution control and tailings storage”.
Anglesey said that mining would be underground with no plans for an open pit or opencast mine.
The scoping report is the first stage in the process for a formal EIA scoping opinion request and follows two years’ “extensive” studies and on-site work, at a cost of nearly £300,000.
Chief executive Rob Marsden added: “The assessment of the environmental and social impacts of mining of copper, zinc, lead, silver and gold from Parys Mountain, in addition to the economic feasibility, will play a major part in the permitting processes required to progress the project through investment and financing to mineral production.
“It is worth reminding investors that Parys Mountain is demonstrably the largest and most advanced copper/zinc/lead/silver/gold project in the UK with a substantial resource upside.”
The scoping report precedes the final EIA report which will need further environmental and ecological work.
Anglesey submitted the report to the North Wales Minerals and Waste Planning Service.
Following validation, the report will be available to the public.
Parys has a reported 5.3 million tonnes at over 4.0% combined base metals in the measured and indicated categories.
The indicated category has 10.8Mt at over 2.5% combined base metals.
Anglesey additionally holds a 49.75% interest in the Grängesberg iron ore project in Sweden and 12% of Labrador Iron Mines Holdings Ltd.