19 Aug 2014 07:00
BERKELEY MINERAL RESOURCES PLC
("BMR" or "the "Company")
Environmental Impact Statement receives ZEMA Approval
Berkeley Mineral Resources Plc, which is primarily engaged in processing mining tailings in Zambia through its wholly owned subsidiary Enviro Processing Limited ("EPL"), announces that the Zambia Environmental Management Agency ("ZEMA") has issued a written approval of the Environmental Impact Statement ("EIS") submitted by EPL for lead-zinc recovery and copper processing at Kabwe.
ZEMA's approval of the EIS is based on its review of the EIS, on EPL's environmental base line studies and information provided by EPL, on written and verbal comments from interested and affected parties and on its own site verification findings. The approval is subject to normal conditions relating to monitoring of protection for such matters as water and air quality, noise levels, dust suppression and employee health. It is also subject to EPL implementing the project within three years.
ZEMA first notified EPL of the requirement for an EIS in September 2013. For lead and zinc, the phase one processing, detailed in the Company's Definitive Feasibility Study, is anticipated to be by gravity and magnetic separation. For copper production, EPL's plans are for a cementation process to produce concentrates from ores to be secured from Zambia and the DRC via EPL's trading connections. BMR now intends to carry out final metallurgical studies to determine the optimal process route for treating the lead and zinc tailings so that pilot production can commence as soon as possible. In the meantime, EPL will commence small scale processing of copper ore secured locally.
Masoud Alikhani, Chairman, commented:
"We are delighted to receive approval from ZEMA for our plans following their full review. From now on, our focus can and will be on commencing production. We will also be concluding off-take agreements for sales of the metals into world markets".
This release has been reviewed by Dennis Human, B.Sc. (Hons), Bus. Admin (Hons), MGSSA, Consulting Geologist to the Company, who is a Qualified Person in accordance with the guidance note for Mining, Oil & Gas Companies issued by the London Stock Exchange in respect of AIM Companies.
19th August 2014
For further information:
Berkeley Mineral Resources Plc 020 7408 1181
Masoud Alikhani, Chairman
WH Ireland Limited 020 7220 1666
Chris Fielding, Head of Corporate Finance
Lothbury Financial Services 020 3440 7620
Michael Padley / Gary Middleton
For further information please see the Company's website at http://www.bmrplc.com
The Directors of Berkeley Mineral Resources accept responsibility for this announcement.