After the Minister of Energy and Mines reported that will not be in YamasaMonte Plata, where the tails dam that the company Barrick Gold seekssources informed Free Journal what the work would rise in Sánchez Ramírezprovince where the current operations of the mining company are located.
The exact location where the work would be built in that province is unknown, as well as the impact that the change of location will have for the company that is betting on expanding its operations as a way to make the mine more sustainable.
In statements to the media, Minister Antonio Almonte reported that the tails dam would not be placed in Yamasaa community where voices have been raised against this construction.
The official indicated that the dam will be authorized and built, for which several options of places are being analyzed, but that there is still no decision in this regard.
Also the Minister of the Environment, Orlando Jorge Meramade public statements in which it gave guarantees that it would do everything possible so that Barrick Gold has alternatives other than the upper basin of the Ozama River.
Information provided by Old Town Barrick indicate that of more than 20 alternative locations that the company had evaluated, the preferable ones were in the provinces of Monte Plata and Sánchez Ramírez.
“Old Town Barrick, from the beginning, has evaluated different alternatives to formalize the environmental impact study. It began with a group of more than 20 options, which after internal evaluations have been reduced, leaving as preferred options locations in the province of Monte Plata and in the province of Sánchez Ramírez, both in the vicinity of our operation”, the miner said.
He recalled that, in order to advance in the impact and feasibility study, the Dominican State would carry out evaluations that indicate where they could be carried out.
“We are waiting for the review of the different alternatives by the State and the announcement of the final decision,” says the company through its Communication management.
According to the source of Free Journalthe decision has already been made and the tails dam would get up in Sánchez Ramírez.
Barrick, the 25-year concessionaire of the Pueblo Viejo mine, whose operations began in 2013, has reiterated the need to complete its expansion plans as one of the actions to reverse the decline in productivity experienced in recent years.
Until the middle of last year, casualties were estimated at 7% per year. The company went from producing more than 1.2 million ounces of gold to less than 900 in recent years, as reported.
The municipality of Yamasá, in Monte Plata, has been the scene of several protests against the construction of the Barrick tailings dam there. However, the mining company has reiterated that its operations would not pollute, highlighting its impact mitigation policy and its reward mechanisms for surrounding communities.
