Conroy secures 7 prospecting licences

IRISH mining company, Conroy Gold & Natural Resources has been awarded seven new prospecting licences in Kilkenny, Clare and Tipperary.

The Dublin-based firm — whose main interests are currently two gold projects in Co Monaghan and Co Armagh — said the new licence areas contain similar geology to its existing geographical areas of interest.

The new licences cover a combined area of around 300 sq km and the existence of gold has previously been reported in the area.

Conroy, which is also moving closer to full development of its first gold mine near Monaghan, has not released a potential timeline for the development of the new licences, but indicated that work will start sooner rather than later.

Company chairman, Prof Richard Conroy said: “It is, I believe, important to secure this similar geological terrain and to initiate preliminary exploration on it.

“I’m delighted that the company has been granted these licences in lithologies similar to those of the Armagh-Monaghan gold belt, where we have been so successful and are now focusing on development.”

He welcomed the chance for the company to work again in Co Kilkenny, where management was previously involved in the discovery and development of zinc ore bodies at the Galmoy mine.

In other mining news yesterday, Ormonde Mining said it has commenced an expanded drilling campaign — along with its joint venture partner, Aurum Mining — on its Zamora gold project in western Spain.