DKGR INFO! PERMITS
Mar 6th, 2007 - Drake Gold Resources reviews additional details of the permitting process, leased office space and possible shareholder visit of the property
We continue to appreciate the correspondence from Drake Gold Resources stakeholders. In this update to the CEO Corner we look at concerns you have had concerning permits and office relocation.
Many investors have inquired about what function is played by the liaison as well as the permitting process in general. As we discussed in the last CEO Corner the permitting process has revealed itself to be much more involved than was previously expected.
Many of you though rightly asked what does “more involved” mean? Well what it means is that with changes that have been made at the Bureau of Land Management much of the burden of staying on task, regarding permits, has by necessity been shifted to the company. While many could argue that the situation is as it should be, a proposition we wouldn’t necessarily argue with, it did introduce a new level of uncertainty into the process. Uncertainty that we are determined not only to address but limit as well.
John Marconette, Leasing Operations Manager/Director, describes the difficulty of the situation in the permitting process as it was originally conceived. Mr. Marconette was given a list of conditions that were characterized as being the entirety of issues to be addressed in the permitting process. After that list had been completed, to Bureau of Land Management specifications, it was then communicated that there was an entire list of other actions that must be met. Much to John’s, as well as the rest of the company’s, chagrin the original list was not comprehensive and would not satisfy BLM requirements. Accepting that the process is necessary so that the mine is not subject to any environmental liability down the road, it is unfortunate that it became a fit of starts and stops due to an incomplete picture being painted for our people. This is why the management of Drake Gold Resources came to the conclusion that further measures must be taken.
All of this - of course - is in the past, what is important now is what we do moving forward. Bringing in the liaison was the measure that was necessary to drive the process to a satisfactory conclusion. The liaison’s function is to make sure that the BLM permitting process is on track. The liaison knows the process; in this capacity he enables work to continue on multiple fronts. Primarily helping both the BLM, the project manager and the geologist meet their respective needs. The liaison provides information about the site, i.e. that it is an existing and developed site and therefore has met certain criteria, as well as staying on top of the process to ensure that all concerned parties remain focused. This should limit both delays and misconceptions that characterized the approach prior to these refinements. Having said that, we still cannot project with any certainty when the permits will be approved, we can tell you that we have made the process as efficient as is possible.
Some of you have also been concerned that the lease of the offsite suite of offices had been allowed to expire. This was considered to be the most prudent measure. Considering that the expense would be continued less for practical reasons and more for convention, the offices were eliminated in an effort to allocate the companies resources in the best most efficient manner. We allowed the lease to lapse so that the company could retain these funds for other more productive use.
Some have wondered that if there were no offices if they might visit the actual site of the mine. I think this is a fine idea that is lacking in only one respect and that is safety. It is because of this that we will be setting up a time, in the near future, where investors could come out to the Jackpot Property and have a look at this aspect of the companies operations. We believe this is a much better approach than opening offices simply for the sake of having offices. As operations ramp up and production commences of course this will change.
Please continue to send in your questions/comments, as we believe this is the best forum in which to answer them and share them with others. You will also want to bookmark and continue reading this page in order to receive updates including the announcement of when we will be opening the Jackpot Site for investors to visit.
AI
