Votarantim-owned Colombian steelmaker Acerias Paz del Rio received a 20-year extension of its government-issued mining permit.
According to Colombian mining agency, ANM, the extended 20-year permit allows Acerias Paz del Rio to continue exploring metallurgical coal in an area near the cities of Socotá, Sativanorte, Sativasur, Socha, Tasco and Samacá.
ANM said the Acerias-owned project meets about 40 percent of the local steel industry demand for the product. The company expects to produce about 8 million mt of metallurgical coal over an undisclosed period. In return for the 20-year mining permit, Acerias will develop social projects.