Long-awaited public inquiry into Dalradian gold mine in the Co Tyrone Sperrins now just days away

The project is being pursued by Dalradian, a firm based at Killybrack Business Park in Omagh but owned by American outfit Orion Resource Partners, headquartered in New York.

The firm has been doing exploratory work at the site in Curraghinalt, about 12 miles north-east of Omagh, since 2009, under prospecting licences issued by the Department for the Economy (although there has been interest in exploiting the mineral resources in the area since at least the 1980s).

Dalradian says the site "contains one of the world’s most promising undeveloped gold deposits and also contains substantial quantities of silver and copper, plus other critical minerals".

It aims to extract about 99 tonnes of gold, 48 tonnes of silver, and 15,000 tonnes of copper over the lifetime of the mine, which is expected to be about 25 years.

A planning application was submitted for a full-scale underground mine in November 2017 to the Deparment of Infrastructure.

Locals objected to the proposed use of cyanide for processing at the site, and in 2019 Dalradian amended its plans to remove the usage of the chemical.

Nonetheless environmental objections have persisted from groups such as Save Our Sperrins, which is encouraging supporters to attend the inquiry hearings.

The mine has been objected to by Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, in whose area it would sit, an by neighbouring Mid Ulster District Council.

Rather than making a decision on the planning application, an inquiry into it was ordered in 2020 the then-infrastructure minister Nichola Mallon.

It is to be conducted by the Planning Appeals Commission and the hearings are to be held in the Strule Arts Centre in Omagh from Monday January 13 until March 26.

Dalradian said: "Dalradian welcomes the start of the public inquiry next week into its planning application for an underground mine in Tyrone.

“Dalradian has submitted extensive proposals for an environmentally responsible project which will bring economic and social benefits for our local community.

“The public inquiry is the appropriate forum to discuss all aspects of the project.”