TORONTO (miningweekly.com) – TSX-listed Romarco Minerals on Monday announced that it had received three critical environment permits marking the start of the regulatory approval process for its flagship Haile gold project, in South Carolina.

Romarco said the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control- (SCDHEC-) issued permits were now effective, after the appeal period for each had lapsed without any appeals.

The SCDHEC's air quality bureau had issued the state construction permit, also referred to as the air permit, which authorised construction of the mine, crusher and mill, and also described all significant equipment and control devices that could potentially impact on air quality. It also detailed the operating parameters and reporting requirements for the operation.

The SCDHEC's water bureau had renewed the existing national pollutant discharge elimination system (NPDES) permit, which established discharge standards for a new outfall associated with the upcoming mining plan. The SCDHEC had also issued a permit for future discharge standards associated with the mine operations. The NPDES permit sets discharge quality and flow standards for Haile and would also control all water discharges, both on and off the property.

The SCDHEC's water bureau had also issued the dam and reservoir safety permit, referred to as the dam permit, which authorised construction of the Duckwood tailing storage facility, in Lancaster county.

"These three permits are the first of several important permits to construct and operate the Haile gold mine. Since these areas are a part of the environmental-impact statement and overlap with other State permits, it is gratifying to see these permits start the regulatory approval of our vision for Haile,” Romarco president and CEO Diane Garrett said.

Romarco had hoped to break ground on the $275-million Haile project at the end of 2011, but work was delayed after the Corps decided to request an environmental impact assessment process, rather than the simpler environmental assessment the company was hoping for. Over the past three years, the company had spent more than $4.5-million on environmental studies.