Santana Minerals (ASX:SMI, NZE:SMI) filed its mining permit application with New Zealand Petroleum & Minerals (NZPAM), to transition its proposed Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project from exploration to the mining permit stage, according to a Thursday Australian bourse filing.
The Mining Permit Application under the Crown Minerals Act 1991 is a requirement for any mining operation in New Zealand that grants legal rights to extract and process mineral resources within the defined permit area, the filing said.
The company expects to secure resource consent within six months of lodging its Fast-track Approvals submission, allowing Bendigo-Ophir to become a fully permitted mining operation.
The company shares rose 2% in recent Thursday trade on the New Zealand bourse.