Nicaragua Grants Calibre Mining Corporation Key Environmental Permits
Calibre Mining Corporation was given the green light by Nicaraguan authorities to continue with the production and development of both its open pit and underground mines in the Eastern Borosi Project (EBP).
The mid-tier gold producer also announced that the Comercializadora de Energia para America or the CEPAM gave them a two-year contract ensuring that 100% of the power bought for the Nicaraguan operations would be certified clean energy. The contract removes all of Calibre Mining Corporation’s Scope 2 carbon emissions in the country, representing about 30% of the total emissions (CO2e) within Nicaragua.
Calibre Mining Corporation is moving forward with its EBP open-pit mine
The Calibre Mining Corporation is moving forward with its high-grade EBP open pit mine as well as its underground satellite deposits which are expected to be in production by next year. EBP is Calibre Mining Corporation’s third major environmental mine development that has been given the go-ahead within three years showing the company’s unyielding commitment to shareholders’ engagement and transparent communications within a clearly defined mining regulation.
EBP is about a 176 km2 land package with several low sulphidation gold-silver vein targets and very strong potential for finding new areas and expanded resources.
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Calibre’s President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Darren Hall, said “Approval of the EBP permits marks another significant milestone in the Company’s efforts to organically grow gold production. The permits were obtained three months ahead of schedule thanks to a positive community engagement process and successful public consultation. This success will allow Calibre Mining Corporation to develop EBP and contribute to the improvement of the quality of life of host communities in the Atlantic Region of Nicaragua. With open pit reserves at EBP grading 6.8 g/t Au in combination with the high grade 6.5 g/t Au reserves at Pavon Central, we remain on track for grade-driven production increase in 2023.”
Hall also mentioned that “By purchasing clean energy rather than non-renewable power, as of 2022, Calibre Mining Corporation will have zero Scope 2 CO2e emissions in Nicaragua. This is a material achievement of our sustainability strategy, through which we seek to join efforts in response to global challenges such as climate change.”
The CEO added, “Additionally, the Calibre Mining Corporation received environmental approval to begin drilling on the La Fortuna concession located approximately 50 kilometres southwest of the Libertad mill facility. La Fortuna represents an exciting undrilled epithermal gold opportunity as confirmed by fieldwork completed over the past 12 months. A drill has been mobilized to La Fortuna with a first-pass program to begin in early November. Additionally, Calibre Mining Corporation was recently granted three new mineral concessions and has begun reconnaissance stage exploration work.”
In its current concession management program, the company has given 44 concession applications to the government of Nicaragua. Out of these, 27 concessions were given the green light and, in June 2022, Calibre Mining Corporation opted to refrain from its applications for two full concessions and part of a third.
Apart from Nicaragua, Calibre has interests across Nevada and Washington in the US.
Amid Rising Concerns, Nickel Mine in Minnesota Could Open by 2026
Talon Metals’s Tamarack Nickel-Copper-Cobalt Project in Tamarack (Minnesota, USA) aims to produce some of the best nickel in the world. The company recently drilled about 500 test holes in the area which revealed promising results.
According to the company’s Chief External Affairs Officer, Todd Malan, the site is world-class. Malan also heads the company’s climate strategy office. With the success of the test drills, the company hopes to open the mine by 2026.
Talon said that their mine would bring about 300 jobs to Minnesota and that they already have a deal to supply the metal to Tesla. However, this underground mining venture has not been met positively by some people who have raised concerns about its possible impact on the environment.
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In effect, Talon Metals would like to turn 100 acres of farmland in the US into the largest source of nickel. The company assured that it would process nickel outside of Minnesota and that deep-underground mining posed little danger to the environment.
Talon’s announcement came in the backdrop of rising demand for electric vehicles which need nickel in their batteries. However, Melanie Benjamin of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe asked for scientific data which supported Talon’s claims that the underground mine would be safe.
The tribal head whose land is just two miles from the proposed mine was worried about the pollution that it could bring to the fragile wetlands where the native tribes have fished and hunted for generations. Others have also raised concerns about the sulfuric acid runoff from the mine potentially leaking into the waterways.
The company, however, said that they will not process the metal in the state but somewhere else – stressing that underground mining posed little risk to the environment. “We understand the context and the history. We understand how precious this environment is,” Malan said.
