Kerr Achieves Major Project Milestone With Receipt of Decision of Record

TORONTO, Jan. 23, 2020 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Kerr Mines Inc. (TSX: KER, OTC: KERMF), (“Kerr” or the “Company”), is very pleased to announce that on January 22nd the U.S. Bureau of Land Management (“BLM”) issued a Decision of Record (“DOR”) based on a Finding of No Significant Impact (“FONSI”) formally approving Kerr’s Mining Plan of Operation “(MPO”) at its 100% owned Copperstone Mine gold project located in Arizona, USA.

Following KERR’s application in June of 2018, the BLM conducted an Environmental Assessment on the Copperstone Mine as required by National Environmental Policy Act. This process involved a number of independent studies to evaluate the effect of the project including cultural and biological resources, traffic, noise, water and air quality. Additionally, the BLM provided for public comment allowing the public to review study results, discuss the proposed plans with Kerr’s representatives and submit formal comments to BLM.

Receipt of the DOR based on FONSI and approved MPO was part of strategic value-enhancing process undertaken by the Company to re-start the Copperstone gold mine and will result in the following positive project implications:

• Increase of gold ore production from the current allowable limit of 450 tons per day to 600 tons per day;
• Use of cyanide for recovery of gold from ore using captive steel tanks located in the gold ore processing facility;
• Storage of stabilized tailings produced from the ore processing facility;
• Construction and use of a water evaporation and infiltration basin to be used to manage surplus water generated from underground operations; and,
• Improved operating conditions which will further improve project economics. 

This final approval and receipt of the DOR marks the conclusion of the permit modification effort that commenced in 2018. On February 5, 2019 the Company announced the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality (“ADEQ”) issued approval for the modification of the existing Air Permit (“Air Permit) governing air quality. On September 19, 2019 the Company announced the ADEQ issued approval for the modification of the existing Aquifer Protection Permit (“Water Permit”). The Water Permit is effective for the life of mine and the Air Permit is valid for five years.