Perseus Now Able to Extend Mining Operations at Edikan

Perseus Mining Ltd. (TSX:PRU,ASX:PRU) announced that the Ghanian Environmental Protection Agency has approved the supplementary environmental impact statement for its Edikan gold mine. The company is now able include the Fetish, Bokitsi, Chirawewa and Esuajah North deposits in its mining operations.

As quoted in the press release:

Perseus has been mining and producing approximately 200,000 ounces of gold per year from the Abnabna and Fobinso open pits on the western side of its mining lease since operations commenced at Edikan in late 2011. Clearing work and preliminary waste stripping activities in the Eastern Pits area will now commence and significant quantities of ore will start to be mined in the September quarter of 2015.

Community members whose farms and dwellings will be impacted by mining activities in the Eastern Pits area have been fully compensated and relocated to rented accommodation while alternative houses are constructed. Planning of the relocation dwellings has been completed and construction works which had been delayed pending the receipt of mining approvals can now commence as previously planned.

Jeff Quartermaine, managing director at Perseus, commented:

We are very pleased to have received the necessary environmental approvals needed to commence activities in the Eastern Pits area of our mining lease at Edikan and our site team is now looking forward to working with our contractors to ensure that we can deliver the outcomes forecast in our recently updated Life of Mine Plan.

Having also recently implemented measures to ensure continuous access to power at the Edikan Gold Mine, we are now experiencing excellent operational performance at the mine and are confident that we will comfortably achieve the previously published production and cost guidance for the 2015 Financial Year.

Click here to read the full Perseus Mining Ltd. (TSX:PRU,ASX:PRU) press release.