I asked RM about this part in the article.
Meanwhile the small miners are not required to leave their working areas, having received assurances from the Canadian gold mining corporation, Crystallex that the land where they work belongs to them by a pre-arrangement. In other information it is understood that some low-contamination equipment is to be returned to the gold miners so that they can continue their work routine although they are still hampered by a lack of fuel since supplies are strictly controlled.
RM's reply:
MinAmb has stated that they do not intend to issue the Permit for the approved EIS at Las Cristinas even though they collected the Compliance Guarantee Bond and Environmental Disturbance Tax and MinAmb hopes to ban all open pit mining in the Imataca. However, law, Decrees, policy and activities in the region support mining activities. Under the Las Cristinas MOC, Crystallex agreed to work with approved local mining cooperatives and we are working with them to improve their techniques both environmentally and from a health and safety prospective.
