Cadence Minerals secures preliminary licence for Amapá Mine in Brazil

Core Viewpoint - Cadence Minerals has received a preliminary environmental licence for the Amapá Mine in Brazil, marking a significant regulatory milestone for the project [1][5]. Group 1: Environmental Licensing - The Licença Prévia (LP) confirms the mine's environmental suitability and allows for operations at a planned capacity of 5.5 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) of iron ore concentrate [1][2]. - The LP covers open-pit mining, mineral processing, waste rock management, and tailings storage facilities within the current mining concessions [2][4]. - The LP represents the first formal step in Brazil's environmental licensing framework for the mine, reducing risks associated with the project [4]. Group 2: Project Infrastructure and Resources - The Amapá iron ore project has a Joint Ore Reserves Committee (JORC)-compliant mineral resource of 276 million tonnes (mt) at 38% iron and a proven and probable ore reserve of 195.8mt at 39.34% iron [2]. - The project is fully integrated, with existing mine, rail, port, and beneficiation infrastructure already in place [2]. Group 3: Future Development Plans - The LP supports the long-term mine layout and is crucial for permitting the Azteca processing plant, which is set to be the first production unit in the staged restart [3][6]. - The next phase involves obtaining the Licença de Instalação (LI) for construction and refurbishment of mine infrastructure, including the processing plant [5][6]. - The company aims to secure the installation licence and progress refurbishment activities in line with its staged development strategy [6].