Dome Gold Mines Limited provided an update on the renewal application for Special Prospecting Licence SPL1452. On February 24, 2023, the Company received formal notice that the Minister of Lands had not approved a further extension of SPL1452 for another term. This is the first time since Dome has been operating in Fiji that the renewal of an SPL where the Company is actively exploring had been refused.

The reason provided in the Notice was "Dome Mines Pte Limited's failure in undertaking the proposed work program based on which this exploration licence was renewed in 2019". In Dome management's opinion this conclusion does not consider the disruption caused by the Covid-19 emergency and subsequent international and local travel restrictions in place from early 2020 to the end of 2021, approximating two of the three years of the licence period. The notice states that the Company has 30 days to appeal the decision to the Mining Appeals Board and Dome will lodge an appeal within the specified time.

Until this appeal and its outcome are known the SPL is not open to other applicants.