Energy and Mines studies Barrick Gold expansion plan

The Vice Minister of Mines, Miguel Díaz, affirmed today that the Ministry of Energy and Mines is studying an expansion plan of the Canadian mining company Barrick Gold so that the production of 800 thousand ounces per day that that company carries out does not decrease.

He argued that the El Llagal tail dam is designed to operate until 2025 and that an expansion of this would guarantee the Barrick Gold company to continue its gold production until 2045.

“This is a decision that has a long-term weight for the country’s economy, as we have just demonstrated during the pandemic in which the mining sector was able to maintain its contributions to the treasury, and that has helped fight the pandemic,” said engineer Díaz in the television program Matinal by Telemicro, where Persio Maldonado and Alberto Caminero interviewed him.

He stated that the most important thing when it comes to expanding the mining company’s tail dam is to identify how it will be built so that it does not negatively affect the environment.

He argued that mining had contributed more than expected in the country, growing from 0.4 percent to 4 percent of the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in the last ten years.