LONDON, Sept. 15, 2016 /PRNewswire/ - Horizonte
Minerals Plc, (AIM: HZM, TSX: HZM) ('Horizonte' or 'the
Company') the London and
Canadian listed nickel development company focussed in Brazil, is pleased to announce that it has
commenced social and environmental base line data collection on its
recently acquired Glencore Araguaia project ('GAP'), the adjacent
nickel project to the Company's Araguaia Project ('Araguaia').
The consolidation of Araguaia with GAP (together 'the
enlarged Araguaia project') has created one of the largest nickel
saprolite projects globally and the Company is currently in the
process of finalising an updated Pre-Feasibility Study on the
enlarged Araguaia project.
Summary
- Leading Brazilian sustainability consultants, including Brandt
Meio Ambiente, have commenced social and environmental baseline
data collection for the Vale dos Sonhos target, which is one of the
principle nickel deposits recently acquired by Horizonte.
- The collection of baseline data for the Vale dos Sonhos deposit
is an important step to integrate GAP into the environmental
permitting process underway at Horizonte's advanced Araguaia nickel
project, which was successfully awarded the Preliminary Licence
('LP') earlier in 2016
- New GAP baseline data collection together with further
advancements to existing social and environmental impact
assessments on the Araguaia project, is an important milestone to
progress towards the Installation Licence, which is the final
permit required before construction can commence at the enlarged
Araguaia project
Horizonte CEO Jeremy Martin
said, "Following on from the recent award of the Preliminary
Licence at Araguaia and conclusion of the Glencore Araguaia Project
acquisition, I am pleased to announce that work is underway to
bring GAP into alignment with our development schedule in terms of
environmental and social permitting. The next step is the
award of the Installation Licence ('LI') on the Araguaia project
allowing construction to start.
"We are pleased to be working with Brandt Meio Ambiente, one of
the leading environmental and social consulting groups in
Brazil who have been involved in a
number of major mining projects in the Carajás region. I look
forward to updating the market with results from our new
Pre-Feasibility Study which is due imminently."
Further Details
The historic work completed on GAP, in partnership with
consulting group Golder, has provided Horizonte's team with an
excellent base to conduct a full social and environmental baseline
programme that meets both Brazilian and International best-practice
guidelines.
Brandt Meio Ambiente was successfully awarded the contract to
conduct initial baseline data analysis for GAP. Brandt has a
proven track record in permitting Brazilian nickel projects and
also has recent experience in permitting projects in the
neighbouring Carajás mining district in the Pará State.
Specialised biology consultant, DBO has been awarded the
contract to undertake future fauna and flora studies at GAP and to
further extend existing fauna and flora studies in the Araguaia
deposits.
Integratio was the consultant responsible for undertaking the
social impact assessment for the Araguaia project. Integratio
has provided new social baseline data for Xinguara Municipal, the
local government area containing the Vale dos Sonhos deposit.
This socio-economic data will be incorporated into the new
Pre-Feasibility Study which is due imminently and will be included
in future assessments for Brazilian environmental permits in
relation to the Vale dos Sonhos deposit.
Additional consultants will be contracted for laboratory
analysis and specialised studies as set out in the Pará
Environmental Agency (SEMAS) terms of reference.
The Preliminary Licence ('LP') for Araguaia was approved in
May 2016 with consideration of the
terms set out in the Company's Social & Environmental Impact
Assessment, and conditions outlined by SEMAS. Once the
Installation Licence is awarded in parallel with the mining
concession, construction may start.
The objective of the new social and environmental baseline data
programme at GAP is to integrate the Vale dos Sonhos deposit into
the advanced permitting schedule for the enlarged Araguaia
project.
This announcement contains inside information for the purposes
of Article 7 of EU Regulation 596/2014.
About Horizonte Minerals:
Horizonte Minerals plc is an
AIM and TSX-listed nickel development company focused in
Brazil, which wholly owns the
advanced Araguaia nickel laterite project located to the south of
the Carajas mineral district of northern Brazil. The Company
is developing Araguaia as the next major nickel mine in
Brazil, with targeted production
by 2019.
The Project has good infrastructure in place including rail,
road, water and power.
Horizonte has a strong shareholder structure including Teck
Resources Limited 26.1%, Henderson Global Investors 15.7% and
Glencore 10.3%.
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD
LOOKING INFORMATION
Except for statements of historical fact relating to the
Company, certain information contained in this press release
constitutes "forward-looking information" under Canadian securities
legislation. Forward-looking information includes, but is not
limited to, statements with respect to the potential of the
Company's current or future property mineral projects; the success
of exploration and mining activities; cost and timing of future
exploration, production and development; the estimation of mineral
resources and reserves and the ability of the Company to achieve
its goals in respect of growing its mineral resources; and the
realization of mineral resource and reserve estimates. Generally,
forward-looking information can be identified by the use of
forward-looking terminology such as "plans", "expects" or "does not
expect", "is expected", "budget", "scheduled", "estimates",
"forecasts", "intends", "anticipates" or "does not anticipate", or
"believes", or variations of such words and phrases or statements
that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would",
"might" or "will be taken", "occur" or "be achieved".
Forward-looking information is based on the reasonable assumptions,
estimates, analysis and opinions of management made in light of its
experience and its perception of trends, current conditions and
expected developments, as well as other factors that management
believes to be relevant and reasonable in the circumstances at the
date that such statements are made, and are inherently subject to
known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may
cause the actual results, level of activity, performance or
achievements of the Company to be materially different from those
expressed or implied by such forward-looking information, including
but not limited to risks related to: exploration and mining risks,
competition from competitors with greater capital; the Company's
lack of experience with respect to development-stage mining
operations; fluctuations in metal prices; uninsured risks;
environmental and other regulatory requirements; exploration,
mining and other licences; the Company's future payment
obligations; potential disputes with respect to the Company's title
to, and the area of, its mining concessions; the Company's
dependence on its ability to obtain sufficient financing in the
future; the Company's dependence on its relationships with third
parties; the Company's joint ventures; the potential of currency
fluctuations and political or economic instability in countries in
which the Company operates; currency exchange fluctuations; the
Company's ability to manage its growth effectively; the trading
market for the ordinary shares of the Company; uncertainty with
respect to the Company's plans to continue to develop its
operations and new projects; the Company's dependence on key
personnel; possible conflicts of interest of directors and officers
of the Company, and various risks associated with the legal and
regulatory framework within which the Company operates.
Although management of the Company has attempted to identify
important factors that could cause actual results to differ
materially from those contained in forward-looking information,
there may be other factors that cause results not to be as
anticipated, estimated or intended. There can be no assurance that
such statements will prove to be accurate, as actual results and
future events could differ materially from those anticipated in
such statements.
SOURCE Horizonte Minerals plc