21 August 2024
URU Metals
Limited
("URU")
Zeb Nickel Corp -
Environmental Authorisation Granted for Zeb Nickel
Project
URU notifies that Zeb Nickel Corp.
announced on 20 August 2024 that the South
African Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources (DMPR),
formerly known as the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy,
has granted Zeb Nickel Corp ("Zeb Nickel" or the "Company") an
Integrated Environmental Authorisation under the National
Environmental Management Act (NEMA) (Act 107 of 1998) and the
Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations (2014) for the Zeb
Nickel Project (the "Project") located in Limpopo Province, South
Africa. This authorization marks a significant milestone in the
process of obtaining Zeb Nickel's mining right, which will permit
the extraction of nickel, copper, platinum-group metals, gold,
chrome, cobalt, vanadium, and iron ore for a period of 30 years
from the date of issuance.
The Company was granted the Integrated
Environmental Authorisation and was instructed to notify all
Interested and Affected Parties (I&APs) of the DMPR's decision
in writing within 14 days of receiving it, in accordance with the
Environmental Impact Assessment Regulations. Consequently, the
Company sent out a notification to all interested and affected
parties. Those wishing to appeal any aspect of the decision were
given 20 calendar days from the date of notification to submit an
appeal to the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and Environment and
to send a copy of the appeal to the DMPR. The appeal period has now
concluded. The receipt of the Integrated
Environmental Authorisation marks a significant milestone for the
project, concluding a phase that lasted more than four years. The
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process required 16 expert
specialists to conduct various environmental studies in and around
the project area. The granting of the Integrated Environmental
Authorisation will allow the Project to undertake the various
listed activities in the Project's approved EIA and as specified by
the DMPR, and as further listed in the National Environmental
Management Act 107 of 1998 (NEMA) EIA and National Environmental
Management: Waste Act 59 of 2008 (NEMWA) EIA.
This authorisation is a critical
approval that allows the Company to proceed with the ultimate
development of a mine on the Zeb Nickel Project, ensuring that all
environmental impacts have been thoroughly assessed and mitigated
in accordance with national and international standards. The
authorisation covers various aspects of environmental management,
including air quality, water and waste management, and biodiversity
protection. The Project now awaits the approval and granting of the
mining right from the DMPR, the final regulatory approval required
for the project to commence with mining activities.
The Company's strategic objectives to
increase the overall nickel grade and improve the economics of the
project remain in place. This will be achieved by further drilling,
targeting the higher grade lower geological units recently
identified in Zone 1, as well as the entirety of Zone 2, located
beneath and adjacent to Zone 1, where higher nickel grades and
additional copper and platinum-group mineralisation are
present.
"We
are thrilled to receive this authorisation, which is a testament to
our dedication to environmental responsibility. Our team has worked
diligently to ensure that the Zeb Nickel Project meets all
regulatory requirements and contributes positively to the local
community and environment. Zeb Nickel has engaged in extensive
consultations with local communities, stakeholders, and
environmental experts throughout the application process. The
company remains committed to maintaining transparent communication
and collaboration with all relevant parties as the project moves
forward. Zeb Nickel Corp. acknowledges the support and cooperation
of the Department of Minerals and Petroleum Resources
(DMPR), local
communities, and environmental organizations that contributed to
achieving this authorisation. We look forward to continuing our
work in the project area and ensuring that the Zeb Nickel Project
is developed in an environmentally responsible
manner," commented Anthony James
Nieuwenhuys, Chief Executive Officer and Director of Zeb
Nickel.
Market Abuse Regulation (MAR) Disclosure
This announcement contains inside
information for the purposes of Article 7 of the Market Abuse
Regulation (EU) 596/2014 as it forms part of UK domestic law by
virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("MAR"), and is
disclosed in accordance with URU's obligations under Article 17 of
MAR.
For further information, please
contact:
URU Metals Limited
John Zorbas
(Chief Executive Officer)
|
+1 416 504 3978
|
SP Angel Corporate Finance
LLP
(Nominated Adviser and
Broker)
Ewan Leggat
Caroline Rowe
|
+ 44 (0) 203 470 0470
|
About
the Company and Project
Zeb Nickel Corp is focused on
exploring for and developing world-class mineral deposits, with a
focus on metals that are critical in the production of rechargeable
batteries, such as nickel, graphite, lithium, cobalt, manganese,
copper and aluminum. The Company is currently focused on developing
its flagship Zeb Nickel Project, located in Limpopo, South Africa.
The Zeb Nickel Project is a developing Class 1 nickel sulfide
project strategically located in the Bushveld Complex in South
Africa. The Zeb Project Contains a historical NI 43-101 compliant
resource over 3.9 million tons of contained sulfide nickel, ranking
it number 8 in the global top ten nickel sulfide resources (Mudd,
G. M., & Jowitt, S. M. (2014). A detailed assessment of global
nickel resource and trends and endowments. Economic Geology,
109(7), 1813-1841).