Business
Ongombo Project - Approval of ECC
Ongombo Project - Approval of ECC.
About this update from African Pioneer Plc
[{"type":"text","content":"\n\n\n \n2 April 2025\nAfrican Pioneer PLC\n\n(\"African Pioneer\" or \"the Company\")\nApproval of Environmental Clearance Certificate\n \nAfrican Pioneer plc (\"AFP\"), the exploration and resource development company, is pleased to inform shareholders that it has come to its attention that the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia has posted confirmation on its official website of the approval of the Environmental Clearance Certificate (\"ECC\") by the Ministry for the Ongombo (copper-gold) Project located 40km NE of the capital city, Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia. African Pioneer will in due course receive formal written confirmation from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.\n \nThe approval of the ECC sets in motion the final standard statutory procedures required to activate the previously granted mining licence ML240.\n \nColin Bird, Executive Chairman of African Pioneer, commented \"The approval of the ECC is an important milestone in the development of the Ongombo Project. We look forward to providing further updates as we move towards project development\".\n \nOngombo Project\n \nThe 85% owned Ongombo Copper - Gold Project is situated in Exclusive Prospecting License (EPL) 5772 which was recently renewed for a period of two years. Mining Licence (ML 240) was granted on 10 August 2022 for 20 years subject to the issue of the ECC.\n \nAn extension to the Mining Licence was submitted on 6 September 2022 to encompass the wider Resource Area. African Pioneer has now completed the permitting process by way of the near-term submission of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and the Environmental Management Plan (EMP). This serves to re-affirm the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) first awarded in April 2023 by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT): Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). The EMP accompanies mine development and ore processing operations.\n \nAn updated Mineral Resource Estimates (MRE) for the Ongombo project, revised by Addison Mining Services (AMS) was reported on 16 May 2023.\n \nThe Company is in advanced discussions with parties regarding project level funding that will enable progression of the initial Ongombo open pit to exploit the easily accessible surface ore resources. In this context eng...