EMED Mining (LON:EMED, TSE:EMD), which is developing the Rio Tinto copper project in Andalucia, Spain, has received the green light to start preparatory work on the sites which it does not currently own that have been left unattended since the suspension of operations in 2001.
The group said in a statement the Junta de Andalucia regional government has advised that the company should introduce environmental management and restoration programs on all Rio Tinto mine lands that it not already owns.
This was communicated to the company by the Department of Environment to ensure a comprehensive environmental management approach will be applied to the whole project footprint, both ahead of the project restart and during proposed operations.
The right of occupation for key project lands is one of the pre-requisites for restarting the project, the other pre-requisites being full permitting, preparations of personnel and site and project finance.
Some limited land access has already been provided by the government but this latest advice from the Andalucian government is vitally important, EMED said.
It not only facilitates the environmental clean-up of project lands, it also assists the timely restart of the project by allowing pre-operational environmental infrastructure works to be engineered and installed. A key next step is for the land occupation procedures to be effectively implemented by the government and its agencies.
EMED managing director Harry Anagnostaras Adams said: "The Andalucian government has indicated that it wants to have approved by Q3-2012 the full project including the overall project plan, the administrative approval of the company's mineral rights (called Administrative Standing) and the Unified Environmental Authorisation for the whole land footprint. The company also needs land access; and the proposals of the Department of Environment provide a basis for taking concrete steps on the ground while we sort out final permitting conditions as an overall integrated package.
"It is notable that all major political parties have recently visited the company's site to announce their support for the project,” he added.