Conroy Gold has announced that the results of its tests at a planned gold mine in Co Monaghan have come back positive.

The gold exploration and development company has been carrying out various metallurgical tests at the mine in Clontibret as part of plans to develop the site.

The results relate to comminution tests being undertaken by specialists Goldfields and included matters relating to the mill design that would be required to process output from the mine.

Prof Richard Conroy, chairman of the London listed company, described the results as "a further important step" in the planned development of the mine.

The exploration firm has under licence an entire 30-mile gold trend which it discovered in the Longford-Down Massif, and a series of significant gold targets have been discovered in this area, with a total gold potential in the 15-20 million ounce range.

These targets include Clontibret in Co Monaghan, where Prof Conroy said the company was continuing its drill programmes.