Midnight Sun Mining Corp (TSX-V:MMA, OTCQB:MDNGF) director of marketing and communications Adrian O'Brien talked with Proactive about securing approval from Zambia's Mines Ministry for the renewal of the Kazhiba target license.
He emphasized that the license is a cornerstone of the cooperative exploration plan with First Quantum Minerals (TSX:FM).
Proactive: Exciting news about the company’s license renewal for your Kazhiba target. This is really the end of a long journey. Can you bring everyone up to date on where things stand?
Adrian O'Brien: Certainly. We've just received approval from the Mines Ministry of Zambia for the renewal of the license covering our Kazhiba target. This is a crucial part of our cooperative exploration plan with First Quantum Minerals. We've been waiting for this approval for some time due to a clerical error last summer, which showed the license as rejected. Thankfully, the Zambian ministry was great, and the situation has been resolved. This renewal sets us up perfectly for moving forward.
Now that you have the license in hand, what are the next steps for the company over the next three to six months?
This approval is pivotal for our cooperative exploration with First Quantum. We have two primary targets—Kazhiba to the northwest and Mitu to the southwest of our property. Both have significant oxide copper concentrations at surface, identified through drilling. The plan is to continue exploration work to prove up resources. We’ve already started, and this renewal allows us to push forward, complete programs, and deliver results. We expect to announce assay results soon, so exciting times are ahead.
You also mentioned near-term production opportunities and potential cash flow. Could you elaborate?
Certainly. Kansanshi, First Quantum's flagship mine, is located about six kilometers from our property. It's the largest copper mining complex in Africa and has been operational for 20 years. However, its oxide copper supply has been depleted. Our property is now the only source of high-concentration oxides in the area. We aim to address their supply issues and support their operations for the next 5 to 10 years.
Finally, there’s news about your agreement with Kobold Mining. Can you update us on that?
Yes. We’ve amended the earning agreement to remove the long stop date. This gives us more flexibility to obtain the required environmental permits without repeatedly extending deadlines. We’re looking to start drilling aggressively after the rainy season, around March or April.
Quotes have been lightly edited for clarity and style