Since initially submitting the permit application for the 450-acre Jefferson County property last October, the company said it had passed several reviews successfully, including a pre-issuance conference.

“Granting of the permit is now conditional upon completing the post-mine mitigation plan with the Army Corp of Engineers and completing the emergency water discharge plan,” Global said.

“The Corp of Engineers requires post-mine stream and wetlands mitigation engineering work.

“That work is underway and should be ready for [submission] by mid next month.”

Global Met is awaiting new regulations to include arsenic discharges.

Once the standard is implemented, the company’s engineers will formulate their plan to meet the standard.

It is projecting four to eight additional weeks to complete the balance of the work and obtain the property's mining permit.

Once permitted, sales contract discussions will be finalized as production commences.

Global said it would use contract miners to develop the mine, though it did not release information on the mine’s extraction methods.

It first signed a letter of intent for the area in September 2011.

Testing found up to three coal seams having an aggregate thickness of up to five feet.

Samples taken on the property and analyzed by SGS Laboratories reflected a medium grade metallurgical coal.