Scotgold Resources and its subsidiary SGZ Grampian Ltd has entered into 13 new agreements with Crown Estate Scotland.
Locations include Knapdale, Inverliever, Glen Orchy, Glen Lyon and the Ochills.
The move replaces five earlier agreements dating from November 2015 which wholly owned SGZ Grampian and Crown Estate Scotland agreed covering an area of approximately 800 sq km.
READ MORE: Scots village could become site of £200m gold mine
The agreements provide SGZ Grampian with the right to a mining lease, should a development project be identified as a result of exploration undertaken by the company planing permission is granted.
Scotgold Resources has been working to reopen an abandoned gold mine in Cononish for 12 years and claims it will now be able to begin commercial gold production later this year.
READ MORE: Commercial goldmine set to be up and running by December
The company said: "Further to discussions with Crown Estate Scotland, it was agreed that rather than retain the five original, albeit reduced, option areas and apply for eight new option areas, the SGZ Grampian would apply for 13 new option areas and surrender the original agreements.
"This would not only have the benefit to the company of a new six year term for all 13 areas, but also that the required biannual reporting required for all areas was synchronised, enabling the company to conduct and optimise its exploration programs on a regional basis."
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