Orion Minerals has been granted a key water-use licence for its Okiep Copper Project in the Northern Cape, marking the final major permitting milestone in progressing the project to construction and production.
The licence, which is valid for 20 years, includes approval of the tailings storage facility design on a site located in proximity to the proposed new processing plant.
“The granting of this integrated water-use licence is a fantastic milestone for Orion, as it marks the culmination of almost four years of intensive environmental studies and innovative engineering and water management planning for the Okiep Copper Project,” said MD and CEO Errol Smart.
The Okiep Project is located in the Nama-Khoi District, one of the most arid and water-sensitive regions in SA. The local population was completely reliant on water supply from the Orange River that was pumped for more than 70km via an aged infrastructure that was originally developed for the mines, Smart said.
“Orion’s adherence to high environmental, social and governance standards has been showcased with this process, which will result in a benefit to the entire community. Not only will we assist in upgrading the town sewage works to prevent continued contaminated discharge, the redevelopment of key mines in the district will not place any additional burden on the already severely constrained municipal water supply but will create important jobs and economic opportunities in an impoverished region,” he said.
Earlier in august Orion was granted two additional high-priority prospecting rights for Okiep after a three-year administrative process.
“Orion’s recent purchase of surface rights over some of the area covering these prospecting rights finally resolved the impasse for surface access and environmental approvals,” Smart said at the time.
“This allows Orion to finally access thethis highly prospective ground, where it has already used high-quality historical Goldfields and Newmont drill data to estimate and declare Jorc [joint ore reserve committee] compliant Mineral Resources.”
The grant of two prospecting rights over the greater Flat Mines Area surrounding the Flat Mines Mining Right marks another major milestone in progressing the Okiep project.
Orion, which is listed on the JSE and in Australia, wants the Okiep project to become its second base-metal production hub in the Northern Cape, alongside its flagship Prieska Copper-Zinc Mine.
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