UP Copper Company Releases Project Update

Orvana Minerals Corp. continues work on a feasibility study for a proposed copper mine in the Upper Peninsula.

The company says that the study is planned to be released in early 2012.  The company's final testing is almost done, with tentative results showing that the metallurgy of the proposed mine site could be better than was anticipated in the company's prefeasibility study.

A public hearing about the proposed mine was held on Nov. 9.  In October, Orvana submitted a wetlands permit under the Clean Water Act, and the company anticipated submitting a National Pollution Discharge Elimination Permit earlier this month.  The Michigan Department of Environmental Quality received a mine permit application from Orvana in September and it is currently under review.

Earlier in September the Michigan Department of Transportation announced upgrading County Road 519, which is the main public access to the proposed mine site.  The state's Department of Transportation is contributing $2.3 million to the road project, with Gogebic County contributing $350,000 and Orvana  with $840,000.