US-focused Liberty Gold has reached key permitting milestones for its flagship Black Pine oxide gold project in Idaho, with the submission of the draft mine plan of operations (MPO) and the execution of an interagency memorandum of understanding (MoU) to streamline the permitting process.

The draft MPO has been submitted to the United States Forest Service (USFS), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), the Idaho Department of Environmental Quality, and the Idaho Department of Lands. It is based on a recently published prefeasibility study and marks the start of the federal permitting process under the National Environmental Protection Act. The process will include the preparation of an environmental-impact statement (EIS), co-led by the USFS and BLM.

Liberty Gold has engaged stakeholders, regulatory authorities, and the local community to ensure environmental and operational standards are met. The EIS will involve public scoping meetings, analysis of baseline studies, and assessments of environmental and socioeconomic impacts, along with proposed mitigation measures. Stantec has been appointed as the independent third-party contractor to oversee the EIS process.

The interagency MoU establishes a coordinated framework between Liberty Gold and various state and federal agencies, setting timelines and defining roles to ensure efficient permitting while maintaining regulatory compliance. Liberty Gold president and COO Jon Gilligan stated that these developments reaffirm the company’s commitment to responsible resource development and environmental stewardship. “We are laying the groundwork for a potential construction decision within three years, ensuring the project aligns with the highest environmental and operational standards,” he said.

Gilligan also praised Idaho Governor Brad Little’s Executive Order 2025-02, known as the Strategic Permitting, Efficiency, and Economic Development, or SPEED Act, which aims to enhance interagency coordination and reduce permitting delays. Liberty Gold expects the Black Pine project to have an active participant in this initiative.

Liberty Gold is focused on developing openpit oxide gold deposits in the Great Basin region, which spans Nevada, Idaho, and Utah. The company continues to advance Black Pine as a strategic asset within the district.