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Mining industry

Permitting Milestone Achieved for Atolia Tungsten Project, Securing U.S. Supply of Critical Metals

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

The Atolia Tungsten Project, a flagship asset of SB&N Mining Properties LLC (B&N), has reached a critical permitting milestone. B&N, a leading mining company revitalizing the historic Rand Mining District, has engaged EnviroMINE, Inc. to manage permitting for the project, which contains 33.8 million pounds of tungsten trioxide (WO3) and 104,000 ounces of gold in two placer deposits. This achievement brings the project one step closer to production, with initial mining expected to begin at the Black Hawk Placer within 12-24 months. The project's vested mining rights (VRD) on patented claims facilitate land-use permitting, reducing review to reclamation issues only.

Key Takeaways:

  • The Atolia Tungsten Project contains 33.8 million pounds of WO3 and 104,000 ounces of gold in two placer deposits, providing a strategic domestic source of critical metals.
  • EnviroMINE, Inc. has been engaged to manage permitting for the project, ensuring compliance with county and state regulators.
  • The project's vested mining rights (VRD) on patented claims will expedite the permitting process, focusing on reclamation issues only.
  • Initial mining will begin at the Black Hawk Placer within 12-24 months, utilizing conventional open-pit methods and portable wash plant processing.
  • B&N is advancing exploration across the Atolia district to expand resources, including drilling at the historic Union and Amity mines, district-wide soil sampling, and drilling of tungsten and gold anomalies.
  • The project's placer deposits are low-cost to develop, easily processed, and environmentally clean, making it an attractive resource for U.S. tungsten self-sufficiency.

Statistics:

  • The Atolia Tungsten Project contains 33.8 million pounds of tungsten trioxide (WO3) and 104,000 ounces of gold.
  • The Black Hawk Placer hosts 16.4 million pounds WO3 and 88,000 oz gold, formed by erosion of tungsten-6 and gold-bearing veins from the Stringer Mining District.
  • The Spud Patch Placer has 17.4 million pounds WO3 and 16,000 oz gold, discovered in 1904 and mined during World Wars I and II.
  • B&N controls the Kelly Mine (20 million oz historic silver production), several historic gold mines with 300,000 oz combined production, and holdings at Cerro Gordo, Skidoo, Wild Rose, Silver Mountain, and Lake Isabella.
  • Initial mining at the Black Hawk Placer is expected to begin within 12-24 months, with the wash plant to be moved to the Spud Patch Placer upon completion.

Sources:

  • B&N Mining Properties LLC (B&N)
  • EnviroMINE, Inc.
  • John T. Boyd Company
  • Robert Binkele, Managing Member of B&N
  • Sam Shoemaker, Project Manager with the John T. Boyd Company
  • Access Newswire

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