The Costa Rican Supreme Court (Sala IV) ruled last Friday that a small Canadian mining company can proceed with its open-pit gold mine, striking down complaints from environmental groups that the project was destroying virgin forest.
“After reviewing the official studies we did not find that this mining project will negatively affect the environment. So the project will go ahead,” Vanlly Cantillo, a court spokeswoman said.
For years the Crucitas mine near the border of Nicaragua was closed until last weeks court ruling allowed it to open, a victory against environmentalists who had complained that the mine owner Infinito Gold Ltd (IG.V) would be breaking the law by cutting down trees in forests that are home to such wildlife as the endangered great green macaw and other precious birds.
Crucitas will be Costa Rica’s first major gold mine with a capacity to produce 85,000 ounces of gold annually … read rest of article at Costa Rica Crucitas Gold Mine