No menu items!

COSTA RICA'S LEADING ENGLISH LANGUAGE NEWSPAPER

HomeArchiveCosta Rica denies Canadian firm right to resume mining

Costa Rica denies Canadian firm right to resume mining

Costa Rican officials Wednesday nixed a resumption of mining by Metales Procesados M.R.W, a subsidiary of Canadian-owned B2Gold, at a site that collapsed back in 2007.

A technical-environmental body in the environment ministry said plans for resuming operations at the site in Miramar de Puntarenas, about 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of San Jose, were environmentally non-viable.

The body cited a May 2010 decree by President Laura Chinchilla slapping a moratorium on new mine exploration and mining, particularly for gold, which uses highly toxic chemicals like cyanide and mercury.

In 2007, after the mine had been open for two years, an accident led to nearby waters being polluted by cyanide. The mine was then shuttered.

In recent years, Costa Rica has boosted its efforts to protect the environment from mining-related pollution.

The freeze on new mining operations should span the length of Chinchilla’s term at least, through May 2014.

Trending Now

How to Grow Broccoli Successfully in Costa Rica’s Highlands

In Costa Rica's cooler highland regions, home gardeners harvest fresh broccoli that brings a distinct flavor to everyday meals. This vegetable packs vitamins A,...

What Camera Traps Miss Chasing Jaguars in Costa Rica

Five years ago, I began my journey using camera traps in wildlife monitoring projects in Costa Rica. A few years after that I began...

Costa Rica Arrests Suspects Wanted by U.S. for Cocaine Smuggling

Authorities in Costa Rica arrested four men from the southern part of the country, all wanted by the United States for extradition on charges...

Costa Rica’s Rincón de la Vieja Volcano Experiences Moderate Eruption

Guanacaste residents woke up to activity from Rincón de la Vieja volcano yesterday morning. The volcano produced a moderate phreatic eruption at 6:08 a.m....

Trump Says He Will End US Aid to Colombia as Tensions Spike

United States President Donald Trump on Sunday accused his Colombian counterpart, Gustavo Petro, of tolerating drug production and announced he would end “large-scale payments...

Guatemalan Migrant Children Fear Deportation by Trump

At 15, I.B. fled poverty and an abusive father in Guatemala. She emigrated alone to the United States, like hundreds of children living in...
Avatar
spot_img
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Coffee Maker Chorreador
Costa Rica Travel Insurance
Costa Rica Rocking Chait
Costa Rica Travel

Latest News from Costa Rica