Great Western flags possible delay to Mineral County mill

Great Western Mining updated the market on progress with the construction of a mill designed for producing precious metals in Mineral County, Nevada on Tuesday.

The AIM-traded company said the process equipment was now fully assembled close to the construction site, and was primed for installation.

It said the foundational infrastructure was also in place, with concrete bases laid, retaining walls erected, and the added assurance of water bore holes and monitoring wells, which had been concreted and finalised.

Furthermore, access roads and the laydown area - essential for material and equipment storage during construction - were reported to be complete.

However, a crucial final step remained, being the last concrete pour, specifically designed to adhere to environmental standards.

The firm said it was currently awaiting the responsible contractor to execute that task, adding that once the phase was accomplished, the assembly and testing of the entire plant would begin.

In terms of oversight, the Nevada Department of Environmental Protection (NDEP) was scheduled to make a provisional inspection of the site this week.

Great Western Mining said official approval from the NDEP could, however, be delayed, pushing the expected date back by at least two months.

On a positive note, despite the challenges and potential setbacks, Great Western confirmed that the project remained within its projected budget.

“Delays are always disappointing, but in this case have been beyond the company's control,” said chairman Brian Hall.

“All the ingredients are in place to move forward and the Western Milling joint venture remains an exciting project and a top priority for the Great Western.”

Hall said costs were being carefully controlled, adding that the company planned to be ready for first production by the time regulatory approval was secured.

“We cannot guarantee the timing of this approval but our aim is to be on production this year.”

At 1003 BST, shares in Great Western Mining Corporation were down 6% at 0.05p.

Reporting by Josh White for Sharecast.com.