2 April 2025
African Pioneer PLC
("African Pioneer" or "the Company")
Approval of Environmental Clearance Certificate
African Pioneer plc ("AFP"), the exploration and resource development company, is pleased to inform shareholders that it has come to its attention that the Ministry of Environment and Tourism of Namibia has posted confirmation on its official website of the approval of the Environmental Clearance Certificate ("ECC") by the Ministry for the Ongombo (copper-gold) Project located 40km NE of the capital city, Windhoek, Khomas Region, Namibia. African Pioneer will in due course receive formal written confirmation from the Ministry of Environment and Tourism.
The approval of the ECC sets in motion the final standard statutory procedures required to activate the previously granted mining licence ML240.
Colin Bird, Executive Chairman of African Pioneer, commented "The approval of the ECC is an important milestone in the development of the Ongombo Project. We look forward to providing further updates as we move towards project development".
Ongombo Project
The 85% owned Ongombo Copper - Gold Project is situated in Exclusive Prospecting License (EPL) 5772 which was recently renewed for a period of two years. Mining Licence (ML 240) was granted on 10 August 2022 for 20 years subject to the issue of the ECC.
An extension to the Mining Licence was submitted on 6 September 2022 to encompass the wider Resource Area. African Pioneer has now completed the permitting process by way of the near-term submission of an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) and the Environmental Management Plan (EMP). This serves to re-affirm the Environmental Clearance Certificate (ECC) first awarded in April 2023 by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism (MEFT): Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA). The EMP accompanies mine development and ore processing operations.
An updated Mineral Resource Estimates (MRE) for the Ongombo project, revised by Addison Mining Services (AMS) was reported on 16 May 2023.
The Company is in advanced discussions with parties regarding project level funding that will enable progression of the initial Ongombo open pit to exploit the easily accessible surface ore resources. In this context engineering design of pre-production works has commenced along with design of the lay-out of internal access roads and the accommodation, office upgrades and fencing required to securely operate the mine site.
For further information, please contact:
| African Pioneer Plc Colin Bird, Chairman | Tel +44 (0) 20 7581 4477 |
| Beaumont Cornish Limited (Financial Adviser) Roland Cornish/Asia Szusciak | Tel +44 (0) 20 7628 3396 |
| Novum Securities Limited (Broker) Jon Belliss | Tel +44 (0) 20 7399 9400 |
or visit https://africanpioneerplc.com/
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The information contained within this announcement is deemed by the Company to constitute inside information as stipulated under the Market Abuse Regulations (EU) No. 596/2014 as it forms part of UK Domestic Law by virtue of the European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018 ("UK MAR").
Beaumont Cornish Limited, which is authorised and regulated in the United Kingdom by the Financial Conduct Authority, is acting as financial adviser to the Company in relation to the above matters and is not acting for any other persons. Beaumont Cornish Limited is acting exclusively for the Company and for no one else in relation to the matters described in this announcement and is not advising any other person and accordingly will not be responsible to anyone other than the Company for providing the protections afforded to clients of Beaumont Cornish Limited, or for providing advice in relation to the contents of this announcement or any matter referred to in it.
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