Barrick, the Canadian mining company, has already announced that the construction of its Pueblo Viejo expanded process plant was 93% complete at the end of Q1 with the plant to be at full capacity by July 2023. The company says the project is the Barrick’s “biggest growth project.” It has been designed to extend the mine’s Tier One life to beyond 2040 at an expected average annual production rate of 800,000 ounces of gold.
Meanwhile, Diario Libre reports that the recent Ministry of Environment authorization of Barrick Pueblo Viejo to go ahead with studies for the construction of a new tailings dam in Sanchez Ramirez province is a conditioned one. The mining company already operates a tailings dam in the province. The company had sought to build this tailings dam in other provinces, but met with strong community opposition.
Diario Libre reports that as part of the agreement for the green light for the five-year environmental licensing authorization for the construction of the tailings dam, the Ministry of Environment has requested that Barrick pay a bond for RD$1,135 million to ensure the country for environmental damages, should an unforeseen event occur. The mining company has also agreed to ensure the conservation of Arroyo Vuelta and River Maguaca river streams in the area.
Diario Libre reports that Environmental License number 0501-23, issued by the Ministry on 19 May 2023 is valid for five years, as long as the developer, Pueblo Viejo Dominicana Jersey 2 Limited, “fully complies with the conditions established” in the framework of the project “New Tailings and Waste Rock Co-disposal Facilities for the Pueblo Viejo Mine.”
After the Ministry of Environment granted the environmental permit, Barrick Pueblo Viejo reported that, with the construction of the new tailings dam, the company will extend the mine’s useful life beyond 2040 and support annual gold production of more than 800,000 ounces. “The approval of this environmental license constitutes an important step in the process required for the construction of the new facility required by the company to continue mining activity in the Montenegro Fiscal Reserve, but it is still necessary to continue with the feasibility and engineering studies to proceed with the construction,” the mining company told Diario Libre. It details that fan exhaustive evaluation was carried out taking into account social, environmental, technical and economic criteria for the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA).