CANADIAN mining firm Dalradian Resources is to ramp up its search for gold near Omagh, creating 19 highly paid jobs in the process.
The company has mineral rights for more than 80,000 hectares of land in Northern Ireland including the Curraghinalt gold deposit outside Gortin.
The site has been identified as one of the top 10 undeveloped gold deposits by grade in the world.
According to Dalradian, which has been working in the area since 2010, there are 3.5 million ounces of gold to be mined.
The expansion will almost double the number of people working for the firm in Tyrone where it has 23 staff in facilities in Omagh and Gortin.
The growth has been supported by £326,000 from Invest Northern Ireland.
The company itself has already invested more than £35 million in the project and plans to spend an additional £20m prior to beginning mine construction.
When up and running, it is anticipated the mine could provide work for 300 employees and produce 145,000 ounces of gold per year over 15 years.
Dalradian CEO Patrick Anderson said: "Our board, which has developed mines all over the globe, is focused on the Curraghinalt deposit in Northern
Ireland because it has the right combination of geology, infrastructure, workforce and a business-friendly government.
"To date, the gold deposit has responded exactly as we'd hoped; as we've invested, it has grown and the preliminary economic assessment is very positive. This next phase of underground exploration, which will be managed and operated out of our Tyrone facilities, will take us through the more advanced economic assessment required to reach a mine construction decision.
"We appreciate the support we've received from all levels of government as well as the local community. In return, we re committed to helping to create a new industry in Northern Ireland, to hire locally and build up specialised mining skills through training over the next several years. Ultimately, we believe Northern Ireland can support a vibrant mining sector with well-remunerated jobs."
Enterprise minister Arlene Foster said: "The company had the option of locating these jobs in Toronto but was swayed by Northern Ireland's cost-effective business environment and the support offered by Invest NI.
"I first met with Dalradian Resources last year on a visit to Canada and I very much welcome that those initial talks, combined with the company's attendance at the Northern Ireland Investment Conference last October, have led to this investment. The company is looking to develop the first underground gold mine in Northern Ireland and this offers a unique opportunity to introduce specialist skills and sophisticated international resource investment into our important professional services sector."