Galena Mining Ltd (ASX:G1A) has had its application for a Works Approval for construction of the proposed processing plant and tailings storage facilities accepted.
It was accepted by the Western Australian Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER).
In Galena’s opinion, according to estimated application processing times, this latest Works Approval will be the last major approval to be gained for Abra to be fully permitted.
Its acceptance at this time puts the project on-track to complete permitting within the second quarter of the 2019 calendar year.
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Galena’s managing director Alex Molyneux said: “We believe this latest DWER Works Approval application will be the final ‘gating’ permit to having Abra fully permitted.
“It is very pleasing to have it accepted as it confirms we’re on-track to have permitting completed in Q2.”
Works Approval follows other recent applications
The processing plant and tailings storage construction application is in addition to a DWER Works Approval application for mine construction that was accepted back in September 2018.
Furthermore, the Mining Proposal, Mine Closure Plan and Environmental Management System applications were lodged and accepted in October 2018.
With regard to the project tenure, several miscellaneous and general purpose leases have been recently granted for plant and infrastructure.
The Abra deposit already sits entirely within a granted mining lease.
Targeting construction this year
Galena continues to target commencement of construction of Abra in 2019, with initial production in 2021 and the first full-year of steady-state commercial production in 2022.
A number of other near-term milestones also exist for Galena including the completion of an optimisation of the previously completed pre-feasibility study (PFS) in early-2019.
This updated PFS will incorporate the December 2018 updated JORC resource and Ore Reserve.
Completion of the definitive feasibility study (DFS) will not be delayed and remains on-track to be finalised in mid-2019.