Friends of the Earth director James Orr

Campaigners have criticised a decision by a Stormont department to issue mineral licences.

Four licences were issued by the Department for the Economy earlier this month.

They include a licence to Canadian firm Dalradian Gold, which is behind a plan to develop a mine in Co Tyrone.

A separate company, Conroy Gold, has also been issued a licence to prospect in South Armagh.

The remaining licences have been issued to Karelian Diamond Resources - covering parts of Co Fermanagh - and Flintridge Resources Ltd - which will operate in parts of Co Tyrone.

Friends of the Earth director James Orr claimed the department failed to carry out a strategic environmental assessment and habitat regulation assessment before granting the licences.

A spokesman for the department said: “DfE considers all licence applications against the Habitats Regulations and at this point in time no activity is being undertaken by the licensees that requires an assessment.

“However, Habitats Regulations Assessments are carried out against specific activities and DfE will ensure that assessment, in accordance with the Habitats Regulations, is carried out where the work programme of a Mineral Prospecting Licence includes an activity that is likely to cause a significant disruption or disturbance to a protected species or area.”

The spokesman added “a mineral prospecting licence” does not require a Strategic Environmental Assessment.

Details of the development emerged just days after fracking firm Tambora Resources lodged an application to operate in Co Fermanagh.

In 2014 then environment minister Mark H Durkan rejected plans by the firm to drill for gas near Belcoo in Co Fermanagh.

In a separate development it has emerged that EHA Exploration has lodged an application for a Petroleum Licence in the Lough Neagh basin area.

The exploration area takes in a large chunk of the lake’s western, southern and eastern shoreline, parts of which is protected.

The firm also wants to carry out testing in an area extending to east to Belfast, taking in parts of the city.

Mr Orr said the scale of the application relating to Lough Neagh “is massive” and voiced concerns about the potential impact of the proposal on Belfast’s water supply has not been considered.

A spokesman for EHA last night said: “If in the long term this project comes to fruition it will benefit the Northern Ireland economy, leading to the creation of a significant number of jobs and subsequent benefit to the local economy.”