Welcome to the Crystallex HUB on AGORACOM

Crystallex International Corporation is a Canadian-based gold company with a successful record of developing and operating gold mines in Venezuela and elsewhere in South America

Free
Message: New decrees revoking mining licenses in southern Venezuela

New decrees revoking mining licenses in southern Venezuela

posted on Jan 05, 2009 03:48PM

Newcomer doing DD. I'm all in @.16 Betting the house on this one. I'm riding it to the end.. Holy Crap what a ride this will be....

My question is this, of the 18 Licenses to be issued, Is KRY awaiting a License and or Permit? Is it possible that KRY is among the 18? Any input on the following Nov. 8 article would be appreciated...

New decrees revoking mining licenses in southern Venezuela
The Venezuelan Government on November 8 announced it revoked mining licenses to three companies that extracted gold and diamonds in southern Bolívar state, thus taking to 11 the number of mining licenses the Ministry of Basic Industries and Mining (Miban) has revoked over the last few days.

Since October 30, Hugo Chávez' administration has been publishing in the Official Gazette 11 decrees cancelling mining licenses that were in force for up to 14 years on 19,821 hectares located in the municipalities of Sifontes and Gran Sabana of Bolívar state.

José Mezzoni, president of the Federation of Workers of the Metallurgic, Mining and Mechanical Sectors and Related, as "an evil move the Government is making against mining businessmen and workers." However, the other side has another view of the situation.

The Ministry of Basic Industries and Mining claimed revocation of mining licenses is not a state policy intended to expel the private sector from gold and diamond deposits in Bolívar state. On November 8, the Vice-Minister of Mining, Iván Hernández Rojas, said his office is carrying out a "cleansing" process that is going to continue. In exchange, he promised new mining licenses would be issued.

"We have 24 agreements under review. We are clearing things up because some firms violated the rules, as they did not pay taxes or left the mines unexploited. But other licenses will be issued," Hernández stressed. "I have a list of 25 petitions we are considering. Over the next few days we are to grant other 18 licenses."

Against "large estates in mining"
Five months ago, former Minister of Ministry of Basic Industries and Mining Víctor Álvarez claimed that the Government's new mining policy was intended to nationalize the sector. Last May 25, at a news conference, Álvarez advocated "the creation of a temporary regime to replace the current mining licenses with joint ventures."

Such Government plans were meant to fight what they have called "large estates in mining." In this sense, Hernández claims that such plans do not involve removing the private sector from the mines.

Based on the latest figures, in Venezuela there are 760 mineral deposits under exploitation by private firms. This will not change, claims Hernández, but mining businesses will have to accommodate to new terms.

Venezuela has prevented investments in mines
Gilberto Sánchez, president of the Venezuelan Chamber of Mining Industries, acknowledged that some mining companies have run counter to the agreements they initialed with the Venezuelan Government, but warned that the current structure prevents investment in the extraction of minerals.

"There are agreements and licenses that have been abandoned and therefore the moves the Venezuelan State in such cases are provided under the current Law of Mines," he claims, adding that "on the other hands, there are many companies that have invested in good faith."

In a communiqué, Sánchez warned that "the State has not allowed a continuous flow of investments, as exploration permits are effective for one year only, and renovations are spasmodic."



Share
New Message
Please login to post a reply