St Barbara Limited announced that the Mineral Resources Authority of Papua New Guinea will review its application for an early renewal of the Simberi Mining Lease at the upcoming June meeting of the Mining Advisory Council. The meeting, scheduled for the last week of June 2025, represents the final step before the Mining Minister receives a recommendation on the lease renewal. Recent events underscore the progress of this application. The company noted a successful ML Warden Court hearing held on Simberi Island on April 8, 2025, which attracted strong community participation. The Mineral Resources Authority initiated this process after accepting and registering the early renewal application in December 2024, and all technical queries from its review have now been satisfactorily addressed. Stakeholder support has been a cornerstone of the application’s momentum. St Barbara Limited has engaged in extensive discussions with community groups including the Simberi Landowner Association, and various local governmental bodies. The company also highlighted its proposal for an enhanced net profit-based royalty within a new Memorandum of Agreement for the Simberi project. With this renewal, St Barbara Limited aims to unlock the sulphide ore reserves at Simberi and elevate gold production levels to over 200,000 ounces per annum. From a market sentiment perspective, bullish investors might view the renewal progress as a significant positive catalyst, potentially boosting production and future revenue. The strong community backing and clear pathway towards increased output add to this optimistic outlook. On the other hand, bearish sentiment may arise from the regulatory uncertainties inherent in the review process and the delay in scheduling, which could temper immediate expectations despite the promising production targets.