Another 3 weeks!I guess in 3 weeks we will finally get an answer as to GSL/GWY's fate. This decision will affect a number of gold companies as well as the gold future in Colmbia.
Excerpts from GSL board;
In February Minambiente define whether you can extract gold Greystar
Carolina Blanco
Published: 21.01.2011
Bucaramanga. Although not yet defined the exact date for the final public hearing, the government hopes to do so over the next two weeks to make the final decision in February.
This was announced by Deputy Minister of Environment, Carlos Castano, to ensure that experts from the Ministry continue to advance in the assessment of whether the Santurbán wasteland on the border between Santander and Norte de Santander, one can extract gold, as claimed by the Canadian firm Greystar.
"In the next two weeks will conduct the last public hearing is pending, and certainly before the end of February we will have the final decision," added Brown.
The president of Greystar, Steve Kesler, says that at no time infringe upon the quality and quantity of water consumed by Santander, one of the issues by some entrepreneurs and experts are opposing this project.
"Bucaramanga consumes about 20% of the available flow in the basin of Surat. Of the 80% of the remaining water that continues to run, the project will consume only 0.5%," said Kesler.
The leader explained that "in the process of leaching using cyanide and water circuit will be closed in a waterproof, prevent leakage of cyanide into the environment, ensuring continuous monitoring audited by communities and environmental agencies.
Through the process of separating the gold leaching of mineralized rock using a solution of low concentration of cyanide that is recycled in closed circuit. During the rainy season, when an excess of this solution, this excess will be treated in a cyanide destruction plant before discharging to the environment in compliance with current regulations. "
Florentino Rodriguez engineer Santanderana Engineering Society reaffirms its rejection of the project because it would seriously affect the ecosystem of the plateau, jeopardizing the sources of supply.
"The precautionary principle laid down in Environmental Law, requires the authority to not grant the license, because they are strict production processes in the mine, one accident could contaminate water inevitably flows," he added.
The engineer noted that "there are other damages unpredictable as damage to aquifers by altering the geomorphology of the area with the deep excavations would. Risks such as an earthquake or rainfall, may break the membranes are designed to contain material waste to the dump and that would be enough to contaminate groundwater flow forever. "
For his part, Carlos Alberto Gomez Gomez, general manager of Santander Electrificadora (Essa), said there were expectations for the mega-projects starting with Angosturas Santander. "If this project were to make us more or less increased by 30% the installed capacity in the system our connection to the national system and that's good because there is more demand.
Our growth is a reflection of the economy in the area of influence, we have been forced to improve conditions and is a good sign. What we have said is that Essa, wants to be a strategic ally of the mega projects in the department or area of influence of the company. We are not environmental authority, and we must determine whether it is viable or not, just makes us even regulation to meet demand, but from the electrical point of view we see as an interesting opportunity for growth. "
Hans Duran Rueda, head of community relations for Greystar, says it is very important for the Canadian company the process being done with communities for five years to improve the quality of life for families in the region .
Moreover Leonardo Dimar, environmental consultant, says that for several years been advancing recovery programs and wildlife in the wilderness, and cultures of native species that thought they would be almost impossible, Dimar said that these projects wildlife habitat will have a "When will work begin to take steps to protect the specimens'
Santander Fenalco rejected the draft
Erwin Rodriguez-Salah, CEO of Santander Fenalco says that "the project is not viable, is a 'magni-eco-cide" against the Desert of Santurbán that would jeopardize future water supply, quality and quantity of Bucaramanga and its metropolitan area. The damage to the wilderness would be irreversible and not repairable. " Santurbán currently produces enough water for a population of 2.2 million people in Bucaramanga, Cúcuta and 20 municipalities. Fenalco director said that the cyanide to be used in this large-scale mining project is 40 tons per day. "This procedure has been prohibited in all parts of the world. It was banned in Germany, Czech Republic, Hungary and the European Parliament requested the European Commission to prohibit its use throughout the EU, since the nature of Cyanide can have catastrophic impacts, "he added. In recent days, the union sent a letter to president Juan Manuel Santos in which makes the case for not granting the environmental license company Greystar Resources.
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