Hillgrove Resources has received approval from the South Australian Government to extend the life of its Kanmantoo copper mine.
These new approvals provide Kanmantoo with a 75 per cent increase in processed ore over the original PEPR and an operational life extension to 2019, based on its current mine reserves.
The facilitate this extension, Hillgrove has continued its community engagement process and worked closely with both local and state government.
Commenting on the approvals, Hillgrove CEO Greg Hall said "finalising this process has provided a welcome degree of certainty for the current Kanmantoo mine programs and targets".
"It confirms the next stage in the planned mine life of the project, continuing employment for the local region, ongoing cashflow, and potential for return of value to shareholders.
"Kanmantoo Copper is now commencing a review of exploration potential on its mining lease and broader regional exploration tenement as part of possible future life extensions. Some of this will be based on conversion of resources and exploration target ranges into reserves, and some will be reviewing the potential for new mineralised zones," he said.
"Our recent acquisition of the exploration and mining option over the historical Kitticoola private mine is a step in this program."
As of February this year the mine had a total insitu resource of 29.46 million tonnes of copper at a grade of .8%