Santana Minerals (ASX:SMI, NZE:SMI) sought a 10-day pause in the fast track approvals process for its Bendigo-Ophir Gold Project to allow the expert panel additional time to consider submissions and updated consent conditions before making its final decision, according to an Australian bourse filing on Monday after market hours.
The expert panel issued Minute 46 on Aug. 20, inviting parties to comment by Sept. 7 on the Santana's response to request for information 11 (RFI 11), with the company required to respond to those comments by Sept. 14, per the filing.
The company said RFI 11 requested further clarification on the proposed consent conditions, including plans to relocate and expand a sanctuary area within the project footprint, the filing said.
Meanwhile, the company has been working with regulators and expert planners to refine the consent conditions, with an updated set expected to be submitted to the panel by Friday, the filing added.