Rusina Mining granted Key ECCs for Acoje nickel-chromite project in Philippines

Rusina Mining (ASX: RML, AIM: RMLA) has announced the issuance of two additional Environmental Compliance Certificates (ECCs) for the Acoje nickel-chromite project on Luzon Island in the Philippines.

The company is developing the Acoje Heap Leach Project in partnership with European Nickel plc, which is earning a 40% project interest by spending US$10m on the feasibility study.

Recently, both companies announced a proposed merger. The merger’s Scheme Booklet is expected to be forwarded to Rusina shareholders in April.

An ECC sets out the guidelines and measures for the development of the intended project and is the principle permit for mining operation within the Philippines. It is issued by the Philippines’ Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) through the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB).

The Acoje Project already has two existing ECCs that allow the Direct Shipping of Nickel Laterite Ores in addition to the operation of a nickel laterite Pilot Heap Leach Facility.

The new ECCs cover the construction and operation of the full scale nickel Heap Leach Project as well as the separate operation of surface/underground mining and processing of chromite ores at Acoje.

There are several ECC conditions still to be satisfied or permits issued before either the Nickel Heap Leach Project or the Chromite Mining Project could commence construction. A number of these involve the revision and/or continuation of existing conditions from the previous ECCs.

The nickel heap leach ECC covers the extraction and processing of nickel laterite ore into a mixed hydroxide product.

The chromite mining project certificate is an enhancement of and extension to the ECC issued on 22 February 2008 for the nickel Direct Shipping Ore (DSO) operations.

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