Glamis Gold Ltd.
in Reno said it has received an exploitation license allowing development and mining to proceed at its Marlin gold and silver project in Guatemala.
The company expects to begin construction in the first quarter of 2004.
The company said that the Marlin project will be developed as a combination open pit and underground mine with projected average annual production of 217,000 ounces of gold and 3.3 million ounces of silver over a ten-year mine life.
Glamis also announced that it filed a formal claim for arbitration in connection with its Imperial Project in California under the North American Free Trade Agreement, claiming that its mineral property rights have been taken without compensation.