Excelsior Mining has received administrative completeness review (ACR) for the federal underground injection control (UIC) and the state aquifer protection permit (APP) for its Gunnison copper project in the US.
The project covers 9,560 acres, 65 miles south-east of Tucson Arizona within the copper porphyry belt.
The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued the UIC under the Safe Drinking Water Act, while the APP is issued by the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (ADEQ) under the Environmental Quality Act.
Excelsior said that ACR is the first stage of the permitting process.
The company is working with the state and federal regulatory agencies to help advance the issuance of draft permits, which are expected in early 2017.
Excelsior Mining president and CEO Stephen Twyerould said: “With the successful completion of administrative review, the permitting process at Gunnison has moved beyond the first key milestone.
“We look forward to continuing our work with the respective agencies as we undertake technical review.
“Excelsior has every confidence in the efficacy of the agencies to deliver workable permits, in a timely manner, which ensure safe operations and the protection of the environment.”
Separately, both the air-quality and aquifer protection permits have been amended and transferred for Johnson Camp mine (JCM) from the previous owner to Excelsior Mining.
The permits were issued by the ADEQ.
JCM comprises 59 patented lode mining claims, 117 unpatented lode mining claims and fee simple lands.
