Heliostar Metals seeks environmental permits for underground gold mine in Mexico

Heliostar Metals has submitted environmental permit applications to Mexico’s Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) for its Ana Paula gold project in Guerrero. The company has strategically shifted its development plan from an open-pit mine to an underground operation.

This new design aims to reduce the surface area impacted by approximately 65% compared to the previously approved open-pit plan. The proposal includes eliminating the open pit, reducing the size of the waste rock deposit and processing plant, and implementing dry stack tailings that can be reused as paste fill within the mine.

This transition to underground mining is intended to minimize the project's territorial footprint and navigate the regulatory landscape following Mexico's 2023 Mining Reform. Heliostar expects to reach a construction decision by mid-2027. If implemented, the project is estimated to create approximately 1,500 jobs during construction and 600 permanent positions during operation.