Nevada Organic Phosphate (CSE:NOP) has provided updates on its environmental pre-clearance surveys and future drilling activities at the Murdock Mountain phosphate project in Nevada, US.
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Nevada Department of Wildlife (NDOW) outline that biological and cultural clearance surveys must be completed prior to commencing field operations.
The environmental consultant hired by the company to complete the surveys has not completed them in the anticipated timeframe, resulting in a delay in the planned drilling program.
To avoid further delays and to ensure the completion of outstanding regulatory work, Nevada Organic Phosphate has retained an additional environmental consulting firm to help advance the remaining BLM and NDOW pre-clearance requirements.
The new consultant is expected to be on the ground this week.
With the current delays in survey completion, the contracted drilling provided has moved to other scheduled commitments, meaning there will be further delays before they can remobilise back to Murdock Mountain.
The company is now finalising the contract with an additional drilling contractor to mobilise once the environmental clearance has been issued to avoid further delays.
CEO Robin Dow says that the expansion of the environmental team is necessary to ensure all pre-clearance work is completed in a timely fashion.
“Adding an additional environmental consultant strengthens our ability to maintain project momentum and improve scheduling reliability,” Dow says.
“We have also taken steps to secure a second drilling contractor so that we are positioned to begin drilling as soon as the necessary clearances are issued.”
The company will provide additional updates as the survey work progresses and drilling timelines are confirmed.
Nevada Organic Phosphate is a junior exploration company focused on organic sedimentary raw rock phosphate in northeast Nevada.
Write to Amy Rotman at Mining.com.au
Images: Nevada Organic Phosphate
