Berkeley Resources, an Australia-based uranium exploration and development company, has secured the mining licence from the regional government of Castilla and León for its Retortillo deposit in Spain.
The Retortillo deposit forms part of its Salamanca uranium project and is the first resource from where it plans to start production.
The mining licence, which is valid initially for 30 years, can be renewed for two additional periods of 30 years and covers an area of 25.2km² including the Retortillo Mineral Resource Estimate.
The approval of mining licence also includes the prerequisite approval of Berkeley’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment by the environmental authorities and the favourable recommendation report issued by the Nuclear Safety Council.
The licence follows the approval of Exploitation and Reclamation and Closure Plans for the proposed mining operation.
With the approval of Retortillo’s mining licence, the company now expects to finalize the approval of other projects including the initial authorisation of the process plant as a radioactive facility and the exceptional authorisation for land use of the affected surface land area at Retortillo.