PERTH (miningweekly.com) – Coal hopeful Atrum Coal has moved to increase its land-holding in British Columbia by acquiring 11 coal licence applications contiguous with its flagship Groundhog anthracite project.
“We have increased our strategic dominance in what we believe is the best part of the coal bearing geology at Groundhog. We are on track for an exciting year with a prefeasibility study, offtake, first coal extraction and our spin-out activities expected to deliver significant value,” said Atrum MD Eric Lilford.
The 11 licence applications covered some 15 554 ha, and brought Atrum’s total holding in the Groundhog coalfield to 38 369 ha. It was thought that the acquisition would provide Atrum with potential upside to its existing 1.57-billion-tonne resource, as well as a strategic footprint in the region.
As part of its 2014 exploration activities, Atrum would now transition the applications to granted licences.
Meanwhile, Atrum had also been granted an additional four coal licences at Groundhog following community and Ministerial consultations, taking the project’s tenure to 22 coal licences and 15 licence applications.