Australia-based gold mining company Theta Gold Mines has secured environmental licences for Transvaal Gold Mining Estates (TGME) underground gold project in South Africa.
South Africa’s Department of Forestry, Fisheries and Environment (DFFE) has issued the Atmospheric Emissions Licence, allowing Theta to operate the gold processing plant.
In addition, the company has secured a State Forest Licence for the Frankfort Mine in accordance with Sections 23 and 24 of the National Forests Act.
It has been issued outside the normal Department Mines Resource and Energy (DMRE) permitting process, as the forestry company is also the landowner at Frankfort Mine.
With the environmental approval in place, the Australian mining company is enabled to advance the development of TGME underground project.
The company is expected to achieve a full project permitting by first quarter 2023.
Theta Gold chairman Bill Guy said: “The Atmospheric Emissions Licence from the Department of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment is great progress.
“We thank the DFFE for their support and for delivering the licence early, which was initially expected in Q1 2023.
“The Company now keenly awaits the DFFE minister’s decision on the continuation of mining within the Forestry Reserve at MR83.”
Theta said that the approvals are result of its engagement with domestic regulators, and meeting certain standards set out by government departments at the federal level.
The company’s TGME underground project is located in Mpumalanga Province, around 370km northeast of Johannesburg by road or 95km north of Nelspruit.
The project includes Beta (Beta North, Beta Central and Beta South sections), Rietfontein, Frankfort and Clewer-Dukes Hill-Morgenzon (CDM) mines.
Bill Guy added: “The company also thanks the landowner (Forestry Company) for their support, in connection with the approval of a State Forest Licence for the Frankfort Mine.
“Frankfort Mine – which sits outside the Forestry Reserve – now only requires a Water Use Licence (WUL) to be fully permitted for mining. A final WUL decision is expected in Q4 2022.
“The Frankfort Mine is already predeveloped with good access to gold ore, and the company will examine options for Frankfort Mine once all the permits are in place.”
