Integra Resources has received confirmation from the US Bureau of Land Management (BLM) regarding a federal permitting schedule for its DeLamar Heap Leach project in Idaho.
The DeLamar project, situated in Owyhee County in south-western Idaho, is a gold and silver mining development. It includes the historic DeLamar and nearby Florida Mountain deposits, which were once operated by Kinross Gold.
The federal permitting, established under the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), sets a defined pathway towards obtaining a record of decision (RoD) in 2027.
According to the BLM's timeline, a notice of intent is expected to be published in the Federal Register during the second quarter of 2026 (Q2 2026).
This will initiate a 15-month NEPA review period, culminating in the issuance of an environmental impact statement and RoD in Q3 2027.
Integra Resources believes that this streamlined process is considered a significant acceleration compared to earlier projections and plays a crucial role in advancing the project's development timeline.
Integra Resources president, CEO and director George Salamis said: “The establishment of a BLM-defined federal permitting timeline marks a transformational milestone for both DeLamar and Integra. For the first time, the project has a clear, accelerated and fact-based pathway through the NEPA process, materially reducing one of the most significant barriers to mine development in the US.
“This schedule is meaningfully shorter than previously anticipated and substantially improves project certainty, capital efficiency and time-to-value for our shareholders.
“Combined with the recently released DeLamar Feasibility Study, this milestone positions the project among the most advanced and de-risked large-scale precious metals development opportunities in the US.”
Integra Resources has undertaken nearly a decade of comprehensive environmental baseline data collection, exploration activities, engineering studies and mine plan developments since acquiring the DeLamar Project.
Next steps involve the BLM publishing the NoI to inform government agencies and the public about the proposed action at DeLamar.
Following this publication, a public scoping process will be undertaken to engage federal, state and local agencies, Tribal Nations and the public in identifying issues and concerns related to the project.
These insights will guide the development of reasonable alternatives aimed at minimising adverse effects.
The company said that continuous collaboration with surrounding communities and regional Tribal Nations has provided valuable input throughout multiple review cycles.
This engagement will continue as part of efforts to refine project plans and develop mitigation measures for potential environmental impacts.
As part of these efforts, Integra Resources is establishing a programmatic agreement with governmental agencies and Tribal Nations to manage potential impacts on culturally sensitive areas and historic properties.
Beyond federal permitting activities, Integra Resources will work closely with various regulatory bodies to secure other necessary permits required before construction can commence.
These include permits addressing groundwater compliance, industrial wastewater discharge, air quality standards and land use considerations.
Last month, Integra Resources released a feasibility study that demonstrated an after-tax net present value of $774m (C$1.07bn) based on base case metal prices.
The study also highlighted enhanced mine life due to additional stockpile material and an efficient production profile with competitive costs.
In November 2024, Integra Resources completed the acquisition of Florida Canyon Gold through a court-approved plan of arrangement under the Canada Business Corporations Act.
