Centaurus Metals (ASX: CTM | OTCQX: CTTZF) is pleased to advise that the public hearings required in the local municipalities to support the grant of the preliminary licence (LP) – the key environmental approval for the development of the Jaguar Nickel Project – have been called and confirmed by the Pará State Environmental Agency (Semas/PA) for the 10 and 11 October 2023.
The public hearings are the forum where the local communities and other key stakeholders can formally contribute to the approvals process by making suggestions and expressing their view about the project. The public hearings are the last step in the LP process, which in turn is the most important step in the environmental approval process for any major project development in Brazil.
After the LP is received from SEMAS, the company will apply for the installation license (LI), the grant of which will allow the project build to begin. In addition to the main environmental approval process, the application for the combined LP/LI for the 230kV powerline that will supply power to the Jaguar Project has been lodged with SEMAS.
The two stages of the environmental approval process can be combined because of the low environmental and social impact of the powerline. The combination of processes will expedite the approval requirements for the powerline by allowing for the simultaneous grant of both the preliminary and the installation licences. In addition to the environmental approval processes, several other supplementary approval processes have also been advanced over the last couple of months.
In August and September multiple water permits were granted to Centaurus, including a permit to withdraw water from a local river to supply the proposed construction camp as well as permits for the construction of eight bridges/culverts along the road to the project site. Further, all three municipalities where there are roads to be used by the Jaguar Project have now provided the necessary approvals for road upgrade work.
Centaurus’ managing director, Mr Darren Gordon, said the in-country team was continuing to systematically progress the approvals process, with the imminent start of the Public Hearings marking another important step.”
“Centaurus has already undertaken significant community consultation over the last 18 months on the development of the Jaguar Project and we look forward to the Public Hearings taking place so that the company can once again demonstrate the positive social, environmental, and economic impacts the project will have for the local community.
“With the public hearing process set to take place in the next couple of weeks, we are eagerly awaiting the grant of the preliminary licence by SEMAS, which will mark a key de-risking step for the development of the Jaguar Project.”
To find out more about this news, please visit www.centaurus.com.au
To read more news like this, please visit www.theassay.com/news
