Galantas expects to ‘shortly’ begin underground operations in Tyrone

Galantas Gold Corporation has said it expected to “shortly” begin underground mine operations at the site of its proposed gold mine in Tyrone after reaching an agreement with the PSNI.

Last month the Canadian group had put its plans on hold in the North because it could not secure the necessary anti-terrorism cover from the PSNI for its blasting operations at the Omagh Gold Mine.

The PSNI is required to provide anti-terrorist cover for the transportation and use of blasting materials in Northern Ireland.

The Canadian group, which is dual listed on Toronto’s TSX Venture Exchange and London’s AIM market, previously said the PSNI had informed it that the force could only provide anti-terrorism cover to Galantas for a maximum of a two- hour period, two days a week.

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Galantas had claimed this would not be enough to sustain development or operation of the Tyrone mine.

Blasting operations

The Canadian group has confirmed it had now reached a “short-term accommodation” with the PSNI to provide cover for blasting operations at the mine three days a week, two hours a day.

“Whilst insufficient to sustain the development or operation of the Omagh Gold Mine on more than a short-term basis, it will form the basis for the PSNI and the company to review mattes after a period of operation,” Galantas said in a statement.

The company hopes to create 130 jobs eventually in the North but it had warned last month that jobs could be at risk because of the PSNI’s previous stance.

In light of the new agreement with the PSNI, Galantas said the company was now in a position to retain some of its existing employees. “The current investment programme is being cautiously reopened pending a review of available PSNI cover after a period of operation.”