The company Golden Mining S.A. has received the Environmental Impact Declaration (DIA) for the exploitation phase of its Hualilán project, located in the Ullum department, 120 km from the city of San Juan. The project stands out for its zinc (Zn) skarn mineralization with the presence of gold and silver, generating a Zn concentrate with commercial values of Au and Ag.
The process to obtain the DIA has been rigorous, with the submission of the Environmental Impact Report (IIA) at the end of April 2023. Subsequently, various requests for additional information were made to complete the necessary evaluation. With the arrival of a new government administration in December, the project's review intensified, culminating in a comprehensive request for additional information in early 2024 to finalize the required sections of the IIA.
The company has maintained constant communication with the Ministry of Mining, conducting additional studies in critical areas such as hydrogeology, hydrology, modeling, and valuation of the site's cultural aspects. After receiving and evaluating the additional information, a Unique Final Report was prepared that included all the necessary elements for the evaluation, resulting in the issuance of the DIA on October 21, 2024.
The DIA is crucial because it grants the license to operate, allowing the mining venture to begin its construction and ensuring that all stages of the project respect the environment. The project's evaluation began in August 2023, adding significant geological resources of 796,467 ounces of equivalent gold (Oz of AuEq). In August of the same year, an extraordinary session of the Environmental Impact Evaluation Commission (CEMAM) was held to review the project, with the active participation of the company.