Sunday 06 / July / 2025
Muscat: Savannah Resources said it has submitted the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for the Mahab 4 copper mine development.
This completes the final permitting submission requirement for mining licence applications at both its Mahab 4 and Maqail South deposits, which are located in Block 5 in Oman.
Savannah is a 65 per cent shareholder in the Omani company Al Fairuz Mining, the holder of the Block 5 licence.
In its announcement, the company confirmed all regulatory applications for copper mine development at both Mahab 4 and Maqail South have now been made and final EIA applications submitted to the Ministry of Environment and Climatic Affairs (MECA), fulfilling final permitting requirements in mining licence applications.
The Maqail South EIA was submitted on March 28 and the Mahab 4 EIA was submitted on May 4 this year, with the company saying that the EIA approval process is expected to take around three months assuming there are no delays or requests for additional information by the government.
The company is targeting open-pit mining at Maqail South and underground mining at Mahab 4.
Also, preparation of an economic study on copper mine development continues to progress well, with work expected to be completed in July, 2017.
Additional metallurgical testing and the development of a detailed mine design and production plan for the two mines is also being undertaken.
“We have completed the fourth and final stage of the environmental application process with the lodging of our EIA permit applications,” said the company’s Chief Executive Officer David Archer.
“Accordingly, all regulatory applications for copper mine development at both Mahab 4 and Maqail South have now been submitted.”
“Whilst we await the granting of our mining licences, I am pleased to report that we remain highly active in order to ensure the timely delivery of these copper mines,” he added.
This includes appointing IMO to undertake an economic study, auditing the resources at both deposit areas, conducting additional metallurgical test work, including tailings thickening, and developing a detailed mine design and production plans.”
