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Almaden Minerals Signs Cooperation Agreement with Ejido Santa María Zotoltepec
VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Almaden Minerals Ltd. (“Almaden” or “the Company”; TSX: AMM; NYSE American: AAU) is pleased to re
About this update from Almaden Minerals Ltd.
[{"type":"text","content":" VANCOUVER, British Columbia, Feb. 21, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Almaden Minerals Ltd. (“Almaden” or “the Company”; TSX: AMM; NYSE American: AAU) is pleased to report that it has recently signed a cooperation agreement with the Ejido Santa María Zotoltepec, the Ejido located closest to the Ixtaca project, in Puebla State, Mexico. This agreement is similar to the one signed last year with the “United Ejidatarios for the Sustainable Development of Santa María Zotoltepec, A.C.” (see press release of September 21, 2022), but it is signed with the entire Ejido after a majority vote in favour under strict agrarian rules and signed through an Act of Assembly. The agreement is initially focused on contributions to support an agro-technological package aimed at sustainable plant nutrition and soil enrichment. Longer term, the agreement commits the parties to work collaboratively under the Project’s Social Management Plan in pursuit of multiple UN Sustainable Development Goals. The agreement broadens the architecture needed to formulate and deliver Ixtaca’s Social Management Plan which will evolve from the Human Rights Impact Assessment and be mindful of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals1 as reflected in the priorities of the UN Agenda 20302 (see press release of July 6, 2022). Santa María Zotoltepec is located approximately 1.5 kilometres from the footprint of the Ixtaca project. Ejido Santa María Zolteltepec stated that “With the intention of generating common good for our Ejido, we have asked to be included in the Company’s Social Management Plan regarding the Ixtaca project, which has led to this agreement. For many years the Company has carried out various actions to inform us of the impacts and benefits of the Ixtaca project, as well as the prevention, mitigation and compensation strategies related to it. We understand the scope of exploration and proposed mining activities and wish to participate in order to bring direct benefits to our Ejido.” Duane Poliquin, Chair of Almaden, stated “We have felt welcomed in Santa María since first arriving in the area many years ago, and are pleased to be able to formalise our relationship with the local Ejido. The practices captured by this agreement have been in place for many years; continuous respectful dialogue with the overarching objective of building a mine the Company and local comm...