PERTH (miningweekly.com) – ASX-listed Pacific Nickel Mines has been awarded a mining lease for the Kolosori project, on the Solomon Islands.
In addition, Pacific Nickel has also entered into a surface access rights agreement with landowners and a mining agreement with the government of the Solomon Islands, setting out the mining, environmental and fiscal terms for the Kolosori project.
“Pacific Nickel Mines has worked closely with various departments of the government to obtain a mining lease for the Kolosori nickel project. This is a major achievement for the company, and we welcome the support of the national, Isabel provincial governments and landowners to develop the Kolosori nickel project,” said Pacific Nickel CEO Geoff Hiller.
“Now that we have been awarded a mining lease, it allows the company to begin progressing development operations for Kolosori. The next step is to finalise a DFS for the project. The timing of the definitive feasibility study relies on a LiDAR survey and the construction of a second trial stockpile to assess moisture content.
“We are pleased to report that the initial LiDAR survey has been completed and that the second trial stockpile is under construction. I look forward to updating shareholders in the coming weeks, as we begin to fast-track the Kolosori nickel project into development.”
Hiller said that the company is now looking to expedite the wharf and haul road construction, along with establishing a construction camp as soon as practicable, which should allow the project to ramp up to its full 1.3-million tonnes a year of direct shipping nickel ore during 2023.