Viking Mines (ASX:VKA) has engaged global consultancy firm WSP USA for permitting support and data acquisition for the Linka Tungsten Project in Nevada, US.
WSP will conduct a work program to assist the company towards development readiness across three primary phases.
Phase one covers baseline data and strategy with the initiation of desktop and terrestrial assessments to create a foundation for the project, defining the optimal permitting roadmap and providing statutory and regulatory milestones.
In phase two, WSP will conduct a field program of biological, water resource, and cultural surveys to characterise the resource, ensuring the project is able to meet state and federal requirements.
Finally, phase three will comprise the facilitation of documentation and site assessments ahead of exploration and development plans to ensure approval from regulatory bodies for compliance benchmarks.
CEO Julian Woodcock says the engagement of WSP is a critical step in moving the Linka Project towards a “development-ready state”.
“By commencing the permitting process with baseline data collection and in parallel with metallurgical, engineering, and geological programmes, we are effectively compressing the development timeline,” Woodcock says.
“Building this proprietary database today de-risks the asset and ensures we are well advanced on the pathway towards future permitting.”
WSP is a local engineering firm with 83,000 employees that hold deep expertise in Nevada’s mining sector.
As reported by Mining.com.au, Viking engaged Mineral Technologies earlier this week to undertake a processing concept study at Linka, including critical process design and metallurgical optimisation to accelerate the development pathway.
Viking Mines is an exploration and development company, currently focused on developing its tungsten acquisitions in Nevada, US.
Write to Maddison Elliott at Mining.com.au
Images: Viking Mines
