Infinito Gold appeals Crucitas ruling

Costa Rican gold mining company Industrias Infinito, a subsidiary of the Canadian company Infinito Gold, Inc., this week filed an appeal with the Supreme Court’s Civil and Administrative Law Branch (Sala I) against a landmark court ruling in November that struck down the company’s open-pit gold mining project at Las Crucitas, near the Nicaraguan border.

On Nov. 24, a Costa Rican court annulled the company’s mining concession and recommended investigators look into allegations of misconduct by former government officials that signed off on the deal (TT, Nov. 24, 2010).

The appeal to Sala I is the company’s final legal step in Costa Rican courts before the November ruling by the Administrative Appeals Court stands. A ruling on the appeal is expected within 10 days.

Costa Rica’s Attorney General this week also appealed the Crucitas ruling. That appeal was filed in the Administrative Appeals Court – the same court that annulled the gold mining company’s concession at Crucitas – and has angered environmentalists who say the move is a waste of taxpayer money.