Savannah Resources plc (LON:SAV), the AIM quoted resource development company, has today announced that approvals have been received for all eight of the required Government permitting approvals for the Maqail South Mining Licence application, and seven for Mahab 4, with only the Ministry of Housing remaining. Positive discussions are continuing with the Ministry of Housing in respect of this. Savannah is a 65% shareholder in the Omani company Al Fairuz Mining, the holder of the Block 5 licence which includes these two high-grade copper deposits.
The Company also announces that it has issued 1,400,000 new ordinary shares of 1 pence each in the capital of the Company (“Ordinary Shares”) in respect of 2013 Share Options at an exercise price of 4.62 pence per share (the “New Shares”), following an exercise of share options.
David Archer, Savannah Resources Plc Chief Executive Officer said today: “The issue of these “no objections” means that we require only one final “no objection” prior to the Public Authority of Mining being able to assess the Company’s Mining Licence applications, with mining still planned to commence in 2018.”
Oman Licencing Update
The process for permitting mining activities in Oman is administered through the Public Authority for Mining (‘PAM’). Upon submission of the Mining Licence application, approval (or no objection) is required from eight Ministries and PAM for the Licence to be granted.
A summary of the Ministries and their approval status is given in Table 1.
Table 1. Approval Status of Mining Licence Applications
Ministry |
Status (Mahab 4) |
Status (Maqail South) |
Ministry of Defence |
No objection received |
No objection received |
Royal Oman Police |
No objection received |
No objection received |
Ministry of Culture and Heritage |
No objection received |
No objection received |
Ministry of Tourism |
No objection received |
No objection received |
Ministry of Environment and Climate Affairs |
Project Environmental Permit Received |
Project Environmental Permit Received |
Ministry of Regional Municipalities and Water Resources |
No objection received |
No objection received |
Ministry of Interior |
No objection received |
No objection received |
Ministry of Housing |
Under review |
No objection received |
Public Authority for Mining |
Preliminary Economic Assessment to be Submitted |
Preliminary Economic Assessment to be Submitted |