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Grey River gold dredge permit area tripled in size
2 July 2008, Sources: Birchfield Minerals and Lindsay Clark - The large Grey River alluvial gold dredge inland from Greymouth has been granted an extension to its mining permit area almost tripling its potential mineable acreage.
The dredge operation on the Grey River alluvial flats closed in 2004 for economic reasons but is being restarted to take advantage of higher gold prices.
Birchfield Minerals, which owns the dredging operations, has been granted extension of its Mining Permit 41933 to 873 hectares from the original 294 hectare area awarded in 2006.
Allan Birchfield, managing director of Birchfield Minerals said he plans to begin operating the dredge around the end of the year after an extensive refit.
He said the dredge is having its electrical system and bucket line rebuilt on site prior to recommissioning.
Mr Birchfield said the dredge site within the extended permit contains an inferred recoverable reserve of 170,000 ounces of gold.
The extension area is on both sides of the Grey River downstream from the original permit area with a smaller area on the northern banks near Blackball.