JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – JSE- and Aim-listed platinum and nickel producer Braemore Resources on Tuesday said that the Leinster nickel tailings project, located on diversified miner BHP Billiton’s property, in Western Australia, was moving steadily forward.

The company said that BHP was currently conducting technical and financial reviews of the project’s scoping study. The review was ongoing, following the provision of additional data requested by BHP.

Braemore said that the review was expected to be completed during the third quarter of this year.

"The Leinster project is moving steadily forward. We continue to be cautiously optimistic of the project’s merits, and have maintained our area of focus amid the recently announced corporate activity," said Braemore CEO Leon Coetzer.

JSE-listed platinum junior Jubilee announced in early July that it would make an offer for Braemore.

Jubilee had said that the merger with Braemore, which owns the global right to the ConRoast smelting and refining technology, would create an emerging South African platinum producer with an exposure to the whole spectrum of activities within the platinum group metals (PGMs) industry. The merged entity would have the capability to handle all aspects pertaining to exploration, mining, dump retreatment, processing and metal sales. The PGM processing capability with its patented technology was bolstered by the unrealised nickel potential of Braemore in Australia.

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