Infinito Gold avoids Costa Rican mine ban

Costa Rica's congress voted to ban all new open-pit mining projects, citing environmental concerns, without blocking the development of the country's only major gold mine.

 

The country prides itself on jungle wilderness that draws tourists and the lawmakers who proposed the initiative say open-pit methods to dig for metals can cause deforestation and destruction of wildlife habitat.

 

The law will not affect the country's biggest gold mining project Crucitas, owned by Canadian company Infinito Gold, which already has an environmental permit to operate although a court ruling has stalled the mine's development.

 

Original source: Reuters