Ero Copper Corp. said Oct. 11 that it received the operating license for the Vermelhos underground mine, which forms part of the company's MCSA Mining Complex in Brazil's Bahia state.

Bahia's governing environmental agency granted the license, which allows the company to begin full production at the site.

Since August, Ero Copper has conducted trial mining, transport and metallurgical test processing of ore from Vermelhos. It mines copper ore from the Pilar underground mine and the Surubim open pit mine, which are also part of the complex.