NQ Minerals PLC (AQSE:NQMI)(USOTCQB:NQMLF) has been granted permission to undertake more than two kilometres of surface trenching at the Beaconsfield gold mine in northern Tasmania, Australia.
The aim of the work will be to identify near-surface gold deposits to add to Beaconsfield's estimated 483,000 ounces resources.
"This approval marks an important milestone in bringing this historic gold-rich property back on stream,” said NQ’s chairman David Lenigas in a statement.
“The resumption of gold exploration kick-starts an exciting new era at Beaconsfield, with the trenching programme being a precursor to a follow up reverse circulation drill programme, which the company is aiming to start this quarter."
In addition to the exploration undertakings, the company is completing the final stages of metallurgical optimisation on the surface stockpiles within the mining lease, which is now estimated to have 120,000 tonnes grading 3.2 grammes per tonne gold.