Altiplano Metals Inc said its permitting application has been approved by the Chilean mining authority SERNAGEOMIN, and the company can now advance the processing facility at its Farellon Copper-Gold mine located near La Serena.
The company will now move ahead with final construction and assembly at the El Peñón mill site. Once complete the processing facility will have a capacity of 5,000 tonnes per month.
According to the Altiplano, the plant will host crushing and grinding equipment and a full flotation plant. This equipment is currently on site in anticipation of the commencement of the construction phase.
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"I am pleased that the approval process for the mill construction and the copper-gold flotation process has been completed and we can now turn our focus on getting the mill up and running,” said CEO Alastair McIntyre in the statement.
He continued: “This is an important next step for the company as the mill will provide significant savings in terms of processing and trucking costs and improve the recovery of contained metals which will ultimately improve our bottom line. Our goal is to produce the first concentrate at El Peñón in 2021 and I will be pleased to provide regular updates on this progress.”
Prior to the receipt of the final permit, Altiplano had the necessary civil engineering work completed in advance of the next phase. This work included the pouring of cement foundations and flooring for the plant and concrete supports for the mill and crushers, installation of electrical lines, preparation for waterlines, and the construction of a security perimeter fence.
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