The pre-feasibility study will be finalised in the third quarter of 2007, with the completion of a full feasibility study targeted for the first quarter of 2008.
As part of the process, the company is commencing an environmental and social impact study, expected to be completed in the first half of 2008.
Exploration activities were stepped up at the Benga Licence earlier this month, with four diamond drill rigs being dedicated to drilling on the licence.
The Benga Licence comprises only 4560 hectares of Riversdale’s total holding in Mozambique of 203,460ha.
The Moatize district is considered to be one of the largest known undeveloped coking and thermal coal regions in the world and is within economic reach of the East African coast, with access to naturally occurring deepwater ports.
