TIDMHZM
RNS Number : 2691L
Horizonte Minerals PLC
18 July 2017
NEWS RELEASE
18 July 2017
HORIZONTE MINERALS SUSTAINABILITY UPDATE ON ARAGUAIA NICKEL
PROJECT LICENSING STRATEGY
____________________________________________________________________
18 July 2017 - Horizonte Minerals Plc, (AIM: HZM, TSX: HZM)
('Horizonte' or 'the Company') the nickel development company
focussed in Brazil, is pleased to provide an update on the progress
that the sustainability team have made as part of the licensing
process for its 100% owned Araguaia Nickel Project ('Araguaia' or
'the Project'), which is being developed as the next major nickel
project in Brazil.
Highlights
-- The Araguaia environmental licensing strategy was presented
to State Environmental Minister on 4 July 2017
-- A new flora inventory has been completed and a fauna field
campaign is underway with 15 biology specialists on site, including
four from the Pará State
-- Water and power line routes frozen with licence applications under preparation
-- Close to finalisation of environmental control plans for the RKEF process plant and mine site infrastructure
Horizonte CEO, Jeremy Martin said, "Horizonte is committed to
working with Federal, State and Local partners to ensure a robust
large-scale nickel operation will be successfully implemented in
the Pará State. By conducting new fauna and flora campaigns, we
have been able to further characterize the biology of this cerrado
(bush) region. Our licensing strategy was presented to the State
Environmental Minister, which was received positively and we now
have a clearly defined way forwards to bring all construction-ready
permits into alignment within the Araguaia Feasibility Study
schedule. I look forward to providing an update on the further
progressions towards the Installation Licence in due course."
About the Project and Sustainability Activities
The Araguaia Nickel Project, which is 100% owned by Horizonte,
is located on the eastern margin of the State of Pará,
north-eastern Brazil, to the north of the town of Conceição do
Araguaia (population of 46,206), south of the main Carajás Mining
District. The Project has good regional infrastructure including a
network of Federal highways and roads, with access to low tariff
hydro-electric power.
The Company is focussed on delivering a 14,500 tonnes per annum
nickel operation and anticipates a life of mine of 28 years. With
this in mind the objective of the sustainability programme is to
lay the foundations for a robust, long-term nickel mine.
The Brazilian mine permitting process with environmental
agencies has three key stages:
1. The preliminary licence ('LP'), which confirms government
approval for the viability of the project;
2. The installation licence ('LI'), which permits the start of
construction;
3. Finally the licence to operate (LO) awarded after
construction is complete.
The Preliminary Licence ('LP') for Araguaia was approved in May
2016 with consideration of the terms set out in the Company's
Social & Environmental Impact Assessment, and conditions
outlined by the State Environmental Agency. Once the LI is awarded
in parallel with the mining concession, construction may start.
Recent Activities
The Company has hired new specialists in environmental and
social disciplines. Additionally, the team has been bolstered with
regional experts from the Pará State, including flora and fauna
specialists hired through the Emilio Goeldi Museum of Belém, a
research institution linked to the Brazilian Ministry of Science,
Technology and Innovation. The institution also plays an important
educational role in the country through the dissemination of
knowledge and research of regional flora and fauna.
An environmental team of 15 fauna specialists including 4 from
Pará State are on site in July for a major work programme to
complement fauna collections previously undertaken in the region.
The fauna team are enriching the characterisations of terrestrial
and aquatic groups (birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, ants,
pollinating insects, insect vectors, phytoplankton, zooplankton and
benthic invertebrates). An additional fauna campaign will commence
in November 2017 to capture further data in the wet season.
Work on the socio-economic and physical environmental chapters
is also well advanced with 90% completion to date of these
programmes required to submit the LI request to the State
Environmental Agency (SEMAS).
* *S * *
For further information visit www.horizonteminerals.com or
contact:
Jeremy Martin Horizonte Minerals Tel: +44 (0)
plc 20 7763 7157
David Hall Horizonte Minerals Tel: +44 (0)
plc 20 7763 7157
Emily Morris finnCap Ltd (Corporate Tel: +44 (0)
Christopher Broking) 20 7220 0500
Raggett finnCap Ltd (Corporate Tel: +44 (0)
James Thompson Finance) 20 7220 0500
finnCap Ltd (Corporate Tel: +44 (0)
Finance) 20 7220 0500
Damon Heath Shard Capital (Joint Tel: +44 (0)
Broker) 20 7186 9952
Erik Woolgar Shard Capital (Joint Tel: +44 (0)
Broker) 20 7186 9952
Lottie Brocklehurst St Brides Partners Tel: +44 (0)
Megan Dennison Ltd (PR) 20 7236 1177
St Brides Partners Tel: +44 (0)
Ltd (PR) 20 7236 1177
About Horizonte Minerals:
Horizonte Minerals plc is an AIM and TSX-listed nickel
development company focussed in Brazil, which wholly owns the
advanced Araguaia nickel laterite project located to the south of
the Carajas mineral district of northern Brazil. The Company is
developing Araguaia as the next major nickel mine in Brazil, with
targeted production by 2019.
The Project has good infrastructure in place including rail,
road, water and power.
Horizonte has a strong shareholder structure including Teck
Resources Limited 17.9%, Lombard Odier Asset Management (Europe)
Limited 14.1%, Richard Griffiths 14.5%, JP Morgan 8.4%, Hargreave
Hale 6.4% and Glencore 6.4%.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD LOOKING INFORMATION
Except for statements of historical fact relating to the
Company, certain information contained in this press release
constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities
legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not
limited to, statements with respect to the potential of the
Company's current or future property mineral projects; the success
of exploration and mining activities; cost and timing of future
exploration, production and development; the estimation of mineral
resources and reserves and the ability of the Company to achieve
its goals in respect of growing its mineral resources; and the
realization of mineral resource and reserve estimates. Generally,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not
expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates",
"forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or
"believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements
that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would",
"might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved".
Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions,
estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its
experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and
expected developments, as well as other factors that management
believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the
date that such statements are made, and are inherently subject to
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may
cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or
achievements of the Company to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including
but not limited to risks related to: exploration and mining risks,
competition from competitors with greater capital; the Company's
lack of experience with respect to development-stage mining
operations; fluctuations in metal prices; uninsured risks;
environmental and other regulatory requirements; exploration,
mining and other licences; the Company's future payment
obligations; potential disputes with respect to the Company's title
to, and the area of, its mining concessions; the Company's
dependence on its ability to obtain sufficient financing in the
future; the Company's dependence on its relationships with third
parties; the Company's joint ventures; the potential of currency
fluctuations and political or economic instability in countries in
which the Company operates; currency exchange fluctuations; the
Company's ability to manage its growth effectively; the trading
market for the ordinary shares of the Company; uncertainty with
respect to the Company's plans to continue to develop its
operations and new projects; the Company's dependence on key
personnel; possible conflicts of interest of directors and officers
of the Company, and various risks associated with the legal and
regulatory framework within which the Company operates.
Although management of the Company has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those contained in forward-looking information,
there may be other factors that cause results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that
such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements.
MSCSFDFFWFWSEIW
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