VANCOUVER, BC, March 7,
2022 /CNW/ - Southern Empire Resources Corp.
(Southern Empire) (TSXV: SMP) (Frankfurt: 5RE) (OTCQB: SMPEF) announces
that the United States Department of the Interior's Bureau of
Land Management (BLM) has published a "Notice of Intent" in the
U.S. Federal Register and issued a press release related to
environmental permitting of proposed surface exploration activities
at Southern Empire's Oro Cruz Project located in Imperial County, California. These BLM actions
officially notify the public of the BLM's intent to complete an
environmental review that will "analyze potential impacts to the
natural, cultural and recreation resources from the
proposed exploration activities" and initiate federal
National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) permitting
processes. In addition, as required by the California
Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the Imperial County Planning
Department (ICPD) has formally started analysis of the Oro Cruz
Project through the preparation of an Initial Study (IS).
Dale Wallster, CEO of Southern
Empire stated, "The BLM publication is a major milestone for us
and I thank all those involved in moving our Oro Cruz Project
forward. The BLM and ICPD decisions to initiate their NEPA and CEQA
environmental review processes bring Southern Empire closer to
receiving authorizations to start our exploration at Oro Cruz. We
look forward to working closely with both the BLM and the ICPD to
ensure compliance with all federal and state environmental
permitting requirements and we invite commentary from all
stakeholders in the region through the upcoming NEPA and CEQA
public processes."
The NEPA permitting process will include the BLM's preparation
of an Environmental Assessment (EA) related to Southern Empire's
exploration Plan of Operations (Plan) that was submitted to
the BLM's El Centro Field Office on September 28, 2020, and determined, by the BLM,
to be administratively and technically complete and consistent with
U.S. federal regulations on November
16, 2021.
The Plan proposes specific surface mineral exploration
activities, only disturbing up to 8.3 hectares (20.5 acres) within
an approximately 253-hectare (approximately 626 acres) portion of
the Oro Cruz property located within the 184,500-acre Picacho Area
of Critical Environmental Concern (ACEC) in Imperial County. All exploration activities
are to be conducted so as to avoid unnecessary and undue
degradation to public lands and resources.
As required by NEPA, the above-noted BLM actions have started an
initial 30-day public scoping process that began on March 04, 2022. Publication by the BLM of its
draft EA will be followed by an additional 30-day public review
period during which the public's substantive comments will be
solicited regarding the Plan. Only after this subsequent review of
the draft EA will the BLM make a final decision regarding
authorization of the proposed activities in the Plan. For more
information, please see the BLM's news release of March 4, 2022.
During the CEQA process, the ICPD will also seek public input on
multiple occasions prior to adoption of the CEQA determination and
decision.
Proposed Surface Exploration Work Pursuant to the
BLM-Approved Plan of Operations:
- Establishment of 65 drill pads to support surface exploration
in seven drill target areas.
- Reverse Circulation (RC) and/or core drilling of up to 65 drill
holes.
- Construction of approximately 2.94 kilometres (km; 1.83 miles)
of new, permanent access roads; approximately 9.98 km (6.2 miles)
of temporary drill site access roads; and approximately 4.21 km
(2.62 miles) of improvements to existing roads.
- Creation of a 1.05 hectare (2.6-acre) staging area at the Cross
Mine underground portal for infrastructure related to future
underground and surface exploration.
Summary of the Oro Cruz Exploration Project Permitting
Process:
- The Plan was deemed complete for proposed surface exploration
located within the Picacho ACEC.
- Biological, cultural, and hydrological baseline studies have
been completed in preparation for analysis in the environmental
permitting processes.
- The BLM has published a Notice of Intent in the Federal
Register and distributed a related press release to initiate the
NEPA-required public scoping process for the solicitation of public
comments related to the preparation of the anticipated EA. The
30-day public scoping period began on March
04, 2022.
- A Reclamation Plan for compliance with the State of California's Surface Mining and
Reclamation Act (SMARA) has been submitted to the ICPD.
- The NEPA and CEQA processes will be engaged concurrently to
allow for effective coordination and collaboration between Southern
Empire, the BLM, and the ICPD. All permitting decisions are
anticipated to be in place by the end of 2022.
Southern Empire's environmental and permitting efforts are
coordinated by Del Fortner Consulting of Tucson, Arizona. Our team includes:
- Stantec Consulting Services Inc., an international firm that
will liaise directly with both the BLM and the ICPD to prepare NEPA
documentation for the BLM and coordinate the CEQA environmental
review process.
- Sespe Consulting, Inc., specialists on SMARA and CEQA baseline
environmental analysis and permitting requirements, will assist in
document preparation for the CEQA analysis.
- WestLand Resources Inc., specialists in environmental
permitting and planning, have completed Oro Cruz Project baseline
studies and will provide documentation and services necessary to
comply with both the NEPA and CEQA permitting requirements.
Qualified Person (QP)
The scientific and technical information contained in this news
release has been prepared, reviewed and approved by David Tupper, P.Geo. (British Columbia), Southern Empire's VP
Exploration and a Qualified Person within the context of Canadian
Securities Administrators' National Instrument 43-101; Standards of
Disclosure for Mineral Projects (NI 43-101).
About Southern Empire Resources Corp.
Southern Empire is focused on the acquisition, exploration and
development of metals and mineral deposits in North America.
In northeastern Durango State, México, Southern Empire has an
option to acquire a 100 percent beneficial interest in the
1,750-hectare (4,324-acre) Pedro Gold Project where 2014 drilling
by a subsidiary of Newmont Corporation encountered epithermal gold
mineralization within basal conglomerates of the Ahuichila
formation.
In the Cargo Muchacho mountains of Imperial County, California, Southern Empire
owns 100 percent of the historical gold-producing American Girl
mine property and holds options to acquire a 100 percent interest
in the adjacent 2,160-hectare (5,338-acre) Oro Cruz property
located approximately 22.5 kilometres (14 miles) southeast of the
operating Mesquite gold mine of Equinox Gold Corp.
At Oro Cruz, extensive historical drilling and large-scale
open-pit and underground mining of the American Girl, Padre y
Madre, Queen and Cross oxide gold deposits by the American Girl
Mining Joint Venture (AGMJV; ultimately owned 53 percent by MK Gold
Company and 47 percent by Hecla Mining Company) occurred between
1987 and 1996. During that time, gold was recovered by either heap
leaching of lower-grade, or milling of higher-grade ores until
AGMJV operations ceased in late 1996 because of declining gold
prices leaving the Oro Cruz property with many gold exploration
targets in addition to the historical inferred resource estimate,
reported In 2011 by Lincoln Mining Corp., totalling 341,800 ounces
gold based on 4,386,000 tonnes averaging 2.2 grams gold per tonne
at a cut-off grade of 0.68 g/t Au (4,835,000 tons at 0.07 ounce
gold per ton). Please refer to the Cautionary Notice Regarding the
Oro Cruz Property Historical Resource Estimate below.
On behalf of the Board of Directors of Southern Empire
Resources Corp.,
Dale
Wallster, CEO and Director
Cautionary Notice on Forward-Looking Information
Information provided in this news release may contain
forward-looking statements that are based on assumptions as of the
date of this news release. These statements reflect management's
current estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations. They are
not guarantees of future performance. Southern Empire cautions that
all forward-looking statements are inherently uncertain and that
actual performance may be affected by a number of material factors,
many of which are beyond its respective control. Such factors
include, among other things: risks and uncertainties relating to
Southern Empire limited operating history, the need to comply with
environmental and governmental regulations, results of exploration
programs on its projects and those risks and uncertainties
identified in its annual and interim financial statements and
management discussion and analysis. Accordingly, actual and future
events, conditions and results may differ materially from the
estimates, beliefs, intentions and expectations expressed or
implied in the forward-looking information. Except as required
under applicable securities legislation, Southern Empire undertakes
no obligation to publicly update or revise forward-looking
information.
Cautionary Notice Regarding Historical Resource
Estimate
The historical resource estimate is disclosed in a technical
report dated April 29, 2011, prepared
for Lincoln Mining Corp. by Tetra Tech, Inc. and filed on SEDAR and
is termed inferred mineral resource, which is a category set out in
NI 43-101. It was based on historical reverse circulation and core
drill hole sample, underground channel sample, and blasthole sample
assay results and calculated using ordinary kriging to estimate
gold grades in 10-foot-by-10-foot-by-five-foot blocks. Accordingly,
Southern Empire considers this historical estimate reliable as well
as relevant as it represents key targets for future exploration
work. However, a QP has not done sufficient work to verify or
classify the historical estimate as a current mineral resource and
Southern Empire is not treating this historical estimate as current
mineral resources.
Work Programs During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Timing of Southern Empire's exploration programs will be
contingent on governmental regulations regarding the COVID-19
pandemic and also the availability of exploration-related
personnel, drill contractors, equipment, lodging, et cetera.
Southern Empire will adhere to COVID-19 directives regarding safe
working practices putting worker, community and national safety
first and will proceed with exploration and development work
programs only if potential COVID-19 risks can be effectively
managed.
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation
Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the
Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of
this release.
SOURCE Southern Empire Resources Corp.
