The Canadian company did not obtain the operating permit could face legal problems.

Natalie García Natalie Garcia
ngarcia@correodelcaroni.com
Photo William Urdaneta

Minerven technicians discovered that the gold deposit is operated without the required permits

According to a technical report of the commission of Minerva traveled to the area where the concession, were found sufficient evidence to conclude that it was extracting gold from the site, which was declared and the National Treasury or the Ministry of Industries Mining and Basic.

The above report is dated 3 November 2009, adds: "During the inspection it was found that there was gold production activity in these facilities and this can be observed in the summary of photographs taken in the area."

Telltale signs
Among the objects found to process the ore were found: "a melting furnace, barrels identified as sodium cyanide, 36 drums containing activated carbon, mold and equipment desorb activated carbon.

The information is supported by Yamilys Ojeda, internal auditor, Jose Perez, secretary of the board; engineer Agustin Rivas, plant supervisor, engineer Isabel Ginés, division chief laboratory; engineer Naida Hernandez, Advisor to the President and the TSU Freddy Pinto, coordinator of small mines, all of CVG Minerven.

The Brisas del Cuyuni project was taken Oct. 26 by officials of the Ministry of Basic Industries and Mining and CVG Minerven, which currently is in charge of facilities.

Although the company has the concession expired in April 2008 announced that it filed an action for international arbitration to seek damages to the Venezuelan state caused by the occupation of the site.

Gold Reserve, the Canadian transnational mining project owner, never got all the necessary permits from the environmental point of view to begin formal activities.