JOHANNESBURG (miningweekly.com) – Aim-listed mineral exploration and development company Tertiary Minerals on Friday reported that it would soon start the next phase of its drilling programme at its US fluorspar project and that its mining permit application for its Swedish project was progressing.

Tertiary Minerals MD Richard Clemmey said the company was pleased to be able to report solid progress with its key fluorspar projects – the MB project in Nevada and the Storuman project in Sweden – against a backdrop of challenging market conditions.

Clemmey stated that Tertiary would start the Phase 4 drilling programme at MB to test the lateral and depth extent of higher grade mineralisation in the newly discovered western area.

“Five holes have been planned, totalling more than 1 800 m, using the reverse circulation drilling method,” he added.

Clemmey said that the drilling would be carried out during December and January. He explained that following the receipt of the Phase 4 drilling results, the company’s objective would be to contract an independent consultant to re-model and upgrade the current Joint Ore Reserves Committee-compliant mineral resource estimate during the first half of 2016.

The results from the modelling would enable Tertiary Minerals to progress into the next phases of development in the second half of 2016. This would include undertaking metallurgical testwork, economic modelling, a scoping study and mine permit planning.

STORUMAN PROJECT

Clemmey also reported that Tertiary expected its Storuman mining permit application to be approved soon. The company in July 2014 submitted its mining application to the Swedish Mining Inspectorate. Following submission, Tertiary Minerals and the inspectorate had engaged in a process of consultation with key stakeholder groups, which might be affected by the mining project.

Clemmey noted that following the “extensive consultation” process over the past 15 months, accounting for a significant amount of the company’s management time, six of the key stakeholder groups had given their support to the Storuman mining permit application.

“The Sami reindeer husbandry community has objected to the application despite our efforts and its consultants’ to find solutions allowing mining operations and reindeer husbandry to coexist.

“Therefore, the final decision for mining permit approval now sits with the inspectorate and, given the majority stakeholder support for the project, we anticipate that a positive decision will be made shortly,” Clemmey asserted.