African Queen receives exploration license for Kenyan area

African Queen Mines (CVE:AQ) said Wednesday that it has received a special license from the Kenyan government, giving the company exclusive rights to prospect and explore for copper, gold and other minerals for a period of two years in an 850 square kilometre area.
The region is known as Karameri in the West Pokot District in Western Kenya, near the border with Uganda.
The license area is roughly 240 kilometres north of the city of Kisumu, where the company maintains its principal base of operations in the region and manages joint ventures for the Rongo and Ugunja projects.
Karameri is said to be prospective for copper, gold, iron ore and nickel, and remains largely underexplored, with the last comprehensive exploration work conducted during the 1930s.
The company's planned upcoming exploration program on the license area will include detailed mapping and dating of rock types, which are similar to the rocks observed at African Queen's King Solomon project in Mozambique, it said.
The phase one campaign is now being laid out, and will begin after the company receives all required environmental permits.
“We are very gratified to have been granted the Karameri License by the Commissioner," said CEO Irwin Olian.
"This allows us to expand our gold and metals exploration efforts in Western Kenya.
"We are now working on three properties in the region out of our Kisumu headquarters and are striving to create a success for all concerned through well-conceived and funded programs.”
African Queen explores for diamonds, gold and other metals through mineral properties in Southern and West Africa.
In Kenya, aside from the 850 square kilometre license, it has a further 737 sq. km. of gold and other minerals licenses.
Shares in the company rose more than 3% to $0.33 as of 12:37pm EST.