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ED RABBIT GOLD PROJECT UPDATE AND LAND ACQUISTIONS
Ariana Resources, the Anglo-Turkish gold exploration and development company focused on Turkey, has announced a positive update from its Kiziltepe Gold-Silver Mine following the receipt of forestry approvals. Kiziltepe is the initial mine targeted at the Red Rabbit Gold Project in western Turkey, a joint venture between Ariana and Proccea Construction Co., where construction is expected to commence shortly.
Highlights:
– 100% of the freehold land in the tailings dam and process plant sites of Red Rabbit Project has been acquired.
– Permission to utilise Treasury (Government) lands within the project area has been granted.
– Environmental Impact Assessment area has been increased and granted following an application to the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning.
– 95% of total land required for Red Rabbit has been acquired, with remaining land to be purchased in the coming months.
– Major contractor bidding process underway.
Dr. Kerim Sener, Managing Director, commented:
“We are very pleased to have secured over 95% of the surface rights for the project following the receipt of our forestry permit approvals. This is particularly significant progress on the critical path to construction, allowing site works at the tailings dam and process plant sites to be initiated early in the development programme.
“Meanwhile other project development work is continuing at pace, with site surveys complete and process plant component and mining contractor bidding now underway. We look forward to finalising this bidding process in the coming weeks, in order for long lead items to be ordered and for the mining contractor to be mobilised to site as we progress towards our first gold pour targeted for H2 2016.”
Development Update
The JV has remained focused on acquiring additional freehold land in the infrastructure footprint areas of the Kiziltepe sector of the Red Rabbit Project. In addition to the freehold land previously acquired over the Arzu South open-pit area, the JV has now obtained 100% of the required freehold land in the tailings dam and process plant site areas. An application to utilise Treasury properties for the duration of the project has also been granted. The partnership is now focusing on obtaining all remaining land required for the project, which is primarily located along the pipeline route to the tailings dam. In total, 637,902m2 of freehold land has now been acquired by the JV partnership.
An application to the Ministry of Environment and Urban Planning has been granted to extend the Environmental Impact Assessment area designated for the mine site in order to provide additional operational flexibility. The extension to the EIA is located in the vicinity of the waste rock dump and will provide sufficient space to store topsoil for use in later mine site reclamation.
Detailed site surveying work has been completed at the process plant area and for access roads ahead of construction start-up. Geotechnical drilling within the foundations area of the process plant site is due to be initiated once trees have been felled by the Department of Forestry. Final engineering specifications for the process plant and a bidding period for crushing, grinding and ADR components have been initiated. Engineering and design work has been completed for general infrastructure facilities including those for support and management buildings.
Final quotes are being obtained from mining contractors, ahead of mobilisation to site following construction start-up. The timing of start-up is contingent on the felling of trees by the Department of Forestry primarily in the process plant and tailings dam locations. Further guidance on the project schedule will be provided in due course.
