Silver Mountain Resources has secured environmental impact declaration (DIA) approval for the Dorita block in Peru.

Issued by the Peruvian Ministry of Energy and Mines, the approval will allow the company to drill 60 diamond holes in 21 drill platforms over a period of 15 months.

Silver Mountain will also build access roads and any other component required for its approved activities.

The Dorita block forms one of three groups of mining concessions that form the 31,000-hectare (ha) Castrovirreyna project in central Peru.

Silver Mountain said the DIA authorisation is the initial part of the exploration permitting process in the country.

The company will now seek a permit to initiate activities, the final permit required to start drilling.

At the Dorita block, the company has identified three priority targets including the Dorita, Dorita North and Huancarpusa targets.

The Dorita block drilling forms part of Silver Mountain’s two-pronged strategy to advance the Castrovirreyna project. This involves expanding the Reliquias mine and advancing the exploration targets.

Silver Mountain CEO Alvaro Espinoza said: "Obtaining the DIA for Dorita is a significant milestone for Silver Mountain and its strategy of advancing the highest priority exploration targets in parallel to the current underground drill programme aimed at growing the mineral resource at the nearby Reliquias mine.

“Once all additional required permits are obtained, we intend to rapidly advance Dorita to grow the mineral inventory in our over-60,000ha land package."

Earlier this week, Silver X Mining announced it is resuming mining operations at its Nueva Recuperada project in Peru.