Cobrasco, Colombia

Over half of Colombia is under Forestry supervision and permitting by the Department of Environment is required for drilling.

The major copper belt in Colombia that extends through Chile, Peru, is now being explored in Ecuador and continues through Panama therefore almost exclusively requires Department of Environment approval. This copper belt totally lacks modern exploration.

In 2013, Rugby successfully accomplished other extensive permitting including social permits with local communities and National Government officials (Consulta Previa).  The Cocomacia represent the Afro Colombian community which hold rights to the region.

Rugby has also secured drill water permits allowing drilling to commence immediately following drill permitting by the Department of Forestry (DF).

Rugby employed teams of Environmental Consultants to visit the property in 2017 and 2018, and reports have been drafted recommending drill access.

In 2018, Rugby reduced its drill area application from 240 hectares to 14 hectares, including only the immediate drill sites, the camp and helicopter sites, and existing track locations.

The DF visited the proposed drill sites in 2018 and Rugby/ DF agreed to eliminate some sites and relocate others to less sensitive areas.

Rugby contracted geophysical surveys to show no ground water issues existed in the drilling area, as requested by the DF. The Department raised 13 queries in mid-2018, and these were all addressed by Rugby’s Environmental consultants.

The Director of Forestry denied Rugby’s forestry extraction to allow drilling (FRE). Rugby will employ environmental and legal experts to cover off Department concerns to allow drilling at Cobrasco when the Department finalises new rules for the submission of these applications.

Below are photos of rocks taken from steams draining the Cobrasco Porphyry