UK-based mining company Cadence Minerals has announced that it has achieved a key regulatory milestone for its Amapá iron ore project in Brazil by obtaining a preliminary environmental license.
The company has been granted a preliminary environmental license for its Amapá iron ore mine by the environmental authority in Brazil’s Amapá state. The license confirms the environmental feasibility, location and design of the project at its planned annual capacity of 5.5 million mt of direct reduced-grade iron ore concentrate.
The preliminary environmental license approval covers open-pit mining, mineral processing, waste rock handling and associated tailings infrastructure across the project’s existing mining concessions, providing a regulatory foundation for the next stage of permitting.
The approval also enables initial work toward refurbishing the Azteca processing plant as part of the staged development plan, with work progressing while installation license requirements advance as planned.
Project context and outlook
The Amapá iron ore project is a fully integrated operation with established mine, rail, port and beneficiation infrastructure. Securing the preliminary license is an important step toward advancing the mine through Brazil’s environmental permitting framework and supports Cadence’s broader strategy to redevelop the asset and position it for future production.
