Asian Mineral Resources Limited 90% owned joint venture company, Ban Phuc Nickel Mines Limited (BPNM), has received formal Vietnamese central government approval for its Environmental Impact Assessment Report on its Ban Phuc nickel project.

Since no master plan for nickel has yet been approved by the Vietnamese central government, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment is authorized to issue the licence in consultation with other ministries and after receiving Prime Ministerial approval.  It is anticipated that, barring unforeseen delays, the mining licence will be issued late in the first quarter of this year.

Asian Mineral Resources president and CEO Rob Rhomson says, "We are very pleased to have received this approval which moves us significantly closer to obtaining our mining licence, after which we will be in a position to begin construction of the mine.

 "In the meantime, work is proceeding on various elements of the project in anticipation of licence issuance."

Asian Mineral Resources Limited is currently engaged in the exploration and development of the Ban Phuc nickel sulfide project in which it currently has a 90% interest.  The project, located in Vietnam, is part of Asian Mineral Resources Foreign Investment Licence covering 150 square kilometres of highly prospective ultramafic hosted nickel occurrences.