yeah, they gave me another free subscription...suckers!

and mining (Mibam) will begin to restrict the number of gold and diamond mining areas in Bolívar state, local press reported.

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  Crystallex International Corporation

  Gold Reserve Inc.

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  Environment/Social issues

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The government's new policy seeks tighter control over deposits and mining regulations, the national director of mine review Luis Herrera was quoted as saying.

The measure includes withdrawing small-scale miners and concessions in the Caroní river basin and the Sierra Imataca area. Miners will be relocated to the so-called Kilometer 88 deposits where the Las Cristinas gold project is located, reports said.

In late April, Venezuela's environment ministry (MinAmb) denied Canada's Crystallex International (TSX, Amex: KRY) the necessary permits for performing exploration works at Las Cristinas.

In denying Crystallex the authorization, MinAmb cited sensitivities surrounding indigenous peoples, small miners and the environment in an area known as the Imataca forest reserve.

"There appears to be confusion in the sector," said Crystallex investor relations VP Richard Marshall.

"A letter by a MinAmb director was sent to [state heavy industry holding company] CVG last week stating that mining activity in the Imataca region [where Sifontes and Km88 are] was illegal. The [press report] came after the MinAmb letter and states that Mibam plans to relocate miners from other areas of the country into this Sifontes and Km88 district for mining activities," Marshall told BNamericas via email.

"Crystallex and CVG are reviewing the letter from the MinAmb director and we expect to take steps to appeal the letter and any effects it has on the project," he added.

Besides the 20.8Moz Las Cristinas deposit, Bolívar state is home to the Las Brisas copper-gold project held by US-based Canadian miner Gold Reserve (TSX, Amex: GRZ) which contains 10.4Moz gold and 1.3Blb (589,670t) copper.

CVG holds the Las Cristinas concession, and Crystallex has a contract to operate the project. Last year the Canadian company received approval of the EIS from MinAmb and paid the related guarantee bond and taxes.