Aim- and TSX-listed Atalaya Mining is considering its options at the Proyecto Riotinto mine, in Spain, after the Tribunal Superior de Justicia de Andalucía ruled in favour of an environmental group against the government of Andalucía (JdA).
Atalaya was a co-defendant in the case, which stems from a 2014 legal claim from Ecologistas en Accion (EeA) seeking that the JdA overturn the unified environmental declaration (AAU) that was required for the mining permits for Proyecto Riotinto.
Atalaya noted that the judgment had annulled the AAU on procedural grounds and that it found that the AAU was correct. All other issues raised by EeA were rejected.
The mining company said that the JdA would launch an appeal process and that it believed it could be successfully appealed in the Supreme Court.
“Atalaya is currently considering the implications of the ruling with its legal advisors, including the possibility of appealing independently to the Supreme Court as co-defendant or requesting the JdA to amend the process ruled by the court,” the firm said in a statement.
In the meantime, the Proyecto Riotinto mine will run normally, producing copper concentrates and silver by-product.