Asian Mineral Resources continues to progress the Ban Phuc nickel project at its 90%-owned subsidiary, Ban Phuc Nickel Mines Limited in Vietnam.

Asian Mineral Resources president and CEO Rob Thomson will showcase the developments at its Ban Phuc nickel project at The ASIA Miner Investing in Mining Conerence on May 7-8 in Sydney. To register to attend this conference go to the Investing in Mining page on The ASIA Miner website.

In phase one of the EPCM contract Metplant, an Australian process engineering company, is preparing a definitive detailed plant design and associated capital cost estimate.

AMDAD is preparing a definitive mine design and associated reserve and resource report.

Asian Mineral Resources is sourcing a second-hand grinding mill from Australia which will be refurbished - and will accelerate the project development.

The company has also Issued a number of tenders for various infrastructure components, including the tailings dam.

Asian Mineral Resources chairman Jim Askew reported in a company announcement: "The timing of delivery of the various reports and tender responses and the completion of other pre-development activities will facilitate the commencement of development activities as soon as BPNML has received a mining licence for the project.

"BPNML expects to receive shortly the last of the ministerial approvals required before requesting approval by the Prime Minister's Office. Following receipt of the Prime Minister's Office approval, the licence application dossier will be resubmitted to MONRE for the issue of the licence.

Asian Mineral Resources president and CEO Rob Thomson says: "We are satisfied with the degree of progress being made on the various elements of the project. We expect to make further announcements on our continuing progress including the expected date of issue of the mining licence".