The latest negotiation concerned the signing of a purchase order settlement with Sacyr, which incorporates the acquisition of a 51% curiosity in Rio Narcea Nickel, S.L., proprietor 17 investigation permits within the space.
Atalaya additionally acquired a 100% curiosity in three investigation permits which might be positioned alongside the Ossa-Morena Metallogenic Belt as nicely.
Collectively, the group of 20 permits shall be often known as the Ossa Morena challenge, as they’re distributed alongside potential zones of the Ossa Morena Metallogenic Belt, and specifically, alongside the southern flank of the most important Olivenza-Monesterio Antiform.
The challenge consists of the Alconchel copper-gold-iron challenge, which has a NI 43-101 compliant complete indicated plus inferred useful resource of 23 Mt at 0.53% Cu, 0.15 g/t Au and 11.2% Fe.
It additionally consists of two advanced-stage Au and Cu-Au exploration tasks, Guijarro and Vicaria respectively, and a number of other drill-ready coincident geochemical and geophysical anomalies, all positioned alongside the southern flank of the Olivenza-Monesterio Antiform.
In a press release, Atalaya stated that, with a €2-million price range for 2022, it plans to conduct infill and step-out drilling at Alconchel, and extra exploration drilling on the Pallares, Vicaria and Guijarro tasks. The intention of this work is to develop the recognized assets at Alconchel and advance the Pallares, Vicaria and Guijarro tasks to the useful resource definition stage.
“With this acquisition, Atalaya has secured a distinguished land place in probably the most potential and underexplored metallogenic belts in Western Europe. Its location, near the Iberian Pyrite belt the place our Riotinto copper mine and different exploration tasks are at the moment advancing, will permit us to hold out aggressive exploration programmes in a value and time-efficient method,” CEO Alberto Lavandeira stated within the media temporary.
“Precedence shall be given to advance the Alconchel copper-gold-iron challenge due to its wonderful exploration potential which underpins our geologists’ perception that the present recognized assets might be elevated considerably.”
Environmentalists fear
However Atalaya’s plans are a reason for concern for the Alconchel and Comarca de Olivenza with out Mines Platform, an activist group that fears that the presence of the miner within the area could trigger environmental destruction.
In declarations to local media, the Platform’s director, Ángel Vicente Piris, stated that the group fears that Atalaya will make the identical errors it has made in Riotinto and Asturias, the place the corporate has needed to pay tens of millions in fines for poisonous mine discharges and deserted tailings ponds.
