Deal #8677

The company obtained a Small Mine Permit, which is limited to an area of 500ha. The exploration permit was obtained by Carnegie Corporation in 2004 for an area of 740km2. In Senegal, exploration permits are renewable a total of two times, every three years. With each renewal, the exploration area diminished; in 2007, it was limited to 550 km2, and in 2011, to 410 km2 (Coetzee 2013). In more recent company documents, this surface area is stated to be 397km2, revealing a progressive scaling down of the proposed project and more targeted geological testing.

The exploration permit was obtained by Carnegie Corporation in 2004 for an area of 740km2. The actual mining license was issued in 2017 to Astron.

Astron expects all local initiatives to be completed for project start in late 2020, and thereafter commencement phases predominantly hinge on a stable community where safety for all stakeholders involved remains the highest priority.