Colombia withdraws permits on protected lands

Enviromine

Publishing Date: 12 Mar 2009 1:29pm GMT
Author: Mining Environmental Management

The Colombian environment ministry, Minambiente, has withdrawn 44 mining permits from land in protected areas, where mining had been previously endorsed.

The announcement could decide the fate of AngloGold Ashanti Ltd’s 12.9Moz La Colosa gold project, which was suspended by the government a year ago and which is also located on part of a national reserve.

Minambiente minister Juan Lozano said that no other government department in Colombia, including the geology and mining bureau, Ingeominas, had the authority to award mining permits on national park land.

The minister said he was pro-mining but only if it is environmentally responsible.

Mining, particularly gold, could prove the country’s saviour however, and mining is now second to oil, receiving US$1.65 billion in foreign direct investment last year, a 11% increase on 2007.