Black Dragon Gold (ASX:BDG) has submitted an application for its Salve Gold Project to be considered a Strategic Investment Project to the Principality of Asturias.
A final decision on the project’s qualification is expected during Q2 2025.
The company is seeking to collaborate with relevant agencies at principality level as the application is reviewed.
The move seeking Strategic Investment Project status follows the recent adoption of a new law supporting local development. The Principality of Asturias on 17 December 2024 introduced new legislation to advance strategic investment projects, called the Proyectos de Interés Estratégico Regional (PIER) law.
PIER was drafted with the intent of accelerating economically important projects within the principality, while also reducing bottlenecks across a range of administrative and planning approval processes.
Black Dragon says the Salave Gold Project fulfils these economic, environmental and employment requirements, including delivering hundreds of jobs during construction and operation, and is now under consideration for classification as a Strategic Investment Project under the new PIER law.
Separately, the company’s legal counsel has reviewed the Tapia de Casariego Town Council’s decision to reject its application for land rezoning from agricultural to industrial. An appeal has been filed before the High Court of Justice of Asturias, seeking for the decision to be overturned on grounds the rezoning application met guidelines of the 2016 Urbanistic Plan and should not be subject to any prohibitive restrictions.
Black Dragon Gold is an exploration company with a global portfolio of exploration assets. Its flagship project is Salave, one of the largest undeveloped gold projects in Europe. Salave is located in the north of Spain in the Principality of Asturias.
The company acquired Australian mineral explorer Marlee Gold and retains one exploration permit in Western Australia, Ivan Well.
Write to Adam Orlando at Mining.com.au
Images: Black Dragon
