The British Columbia Government approved the permits required to start bulk sample mining at Groundhog.
The permits include an amendment to Atrum’s Mineral & Coal Exploration Activities & Reclamation Permit (commonly referred to as the Bulk Sample Permit) to mine the bulk sample and a Special Use Permit to use an existing railbed subgrade for land access to move equipment to the mine site and truck the bulk sample to the railway connection point.
Executive chairman Bob Bell said: “Obtaining the Bulk Sample and associated permits is a major step forward in the development of the Groundhog Anthracite Project and Atrum as a company.
“To date, the company has successfully achieved a number of important milestones in exploration and planning. This includes delineating a rare deposit of ultra-high grade anthracite, and the design of the bulk sample project to take into account the interests of affected aboriginal groups.
“The awarding of these permits allows us to move to the next phase of our development as a mining company, and begin construction at our Groundhog North Mining Complex. We are excited by the opportunity to produce additional test material for our customers, and look forward to selling the first cargo of Groundhog North anthracite.
“The awarding of these permits is the result of an extensive, iterative review process, involving officials from several ministries within the British Columbia Government, Aboriginal Groups, and the company.”
The granting of these permits demonstrates Atrum has the capability to satisfy regulatory requirements to undertake mining activity at Groundhog, and underpins its investment in the jurisdiction of British Columbia, Bell said.
