RE: Ndep website11 Jun 2024 13:48
GREAT WESTERN MINING CORPORATION PLC
("Great Western", "GWM" or the "Company")
ENVIRONMENTAL PERMIT
Great Western Mining Corporation PLC (AIM - GWMO, Euronext Growth - 8GW) is pleased to announce that the Administrator of the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection ("NDEP") has published a Notice of Planned Action ("the Notice") to allow the operation of a gravity separation plant for production of precious metals by Western Milling LLC. The Notice includes a draft Water Pollution Control Permit and finalisation of the permit is now subject only to a regulatory 30-day public consultation period expiring on 10 July 2024, at the end of the which Western Milling will be able to commission the plant and commence operations.
Western Milling LLC is a 50-50 joint venture between Great Western and Muletown Enterprizes of Mina, Nevada, created for the purpose of producing precious metals and precious metal concentrates from pre-mined material, including stockpiles, tailings and spoil, as well as from newly mined shallow ore.
Great Western Executive Chairman Brian Hall commented: "The publication of a Notice for Planned Action by NDEP is a significant and long-awaited step towards the start of production from our mill, construction of which was completed at the turn of the year. Achieving the approval of NDEP has been a lengthy process, terminating in a comprehensive site inspection in late May. We appreciate the conditional approval now granted by NDEP and are grateful for the patience of our shareholders.
"When finalised, we will be able to start processing our material which includes a JORC-compliant inferred resource of 31,000 tonnes, grading 1.6 grams/ton Au and 3.0 grams/ton Ag in tailings at our Olympic Mine site, purchase of which was recently completed and announced.
"Initially the mill will be able to process approximately 35 tonnes per day but has the capacity to be expanded at minimal cost to 200 tonnes/day, once operating parameters have been established. In the first phase, material will be processed through the gravity circuit but the plant has been built to meet the specifications required for a second phase chemical leaching project, for which a permit application will be lodged once gravity processing is operational.
"We will publish appropriate updates when information becomes available."