Mibam forward policies to organize small-scale mining in Bolivar state
Caracas, 08 Sep. AVN .- The National Government through the Ministry of People's Power for Basic Industries and Mining (Mibam), continues to implement policies aimed at organizing the activity of small-scale mining in Bolivar, an organization that has over 500 years extracting minerals, principally gold.

This was stated by the owner of Mibam, José Khan, adding that they have 86 000 hectares of gold ore to develop small-scale miners who, without any risk, this activity has been practicing for a long time.

"We want to provide professional support and technical support for that in undertaking this activity does not endanger their lives, or deteriorate the environment," he said.

According to studies that have been made shall be authorized to small miners Sifontes municipalities, El Callao, Piar, Gran Sabana, Bolívar and Sucre state to exercise legally the mineral deposits in the area.

As explained by the National Commissioner of Mines, Laura Paredes, the mechanism is to give groups organized into cooperatives, among 15 to 20 people, an operating permit in an area of 10 hectares for a period of 10 years.

"So far the Mibam has received about 200 operating licenses in different areas and continue to receive applications," said Paredes.

Appropriations for productive projects

Another plan that advances the Mibam, is the granting of credits, through the Social Development Bank (Bandes), those who do not wish to continue mining.

"We are working to collect a series of proposals for the miners themselves, who are being given the possibility of assigning loans to develop the activities that they consider," said Khan.

For the design of these projects has a pre-investment fund of 50 million dollars and 800 billion bolivars.

Minister Khan said that this new mechanism is not Minera Conversion, "but a policy that assumes the reality of mining in the country, because Bolivar is a mining state, and that can not be denied. When speaking of illegal mining are talking about an activity permizada because it is running in non line that violate the rules of preservation of the environment. "

Caura Plan

These new mechanism that implements the Mibam, will also benefit the more than four thousand miners who have been evicted with the Caura Plan, which was activated last April to combat illegal mining in Bolívar and Amazonas states.

In order to avoid further involvement in the basin of the Caura and indigenous communities that live in the area, the National Government moved to 2,800 men of the Bolivarian Armed Forces, more than 12 aircraft and the Public Ministry's special prosecutors to evict illegal miners.

"This new policy will be accompanying the Caura Plan, and we are offering land for mineral exploitation of these people who have been evicted," added Khan.

The mining portfolio holder pointed out that because small-scale mining is the most vulnerable because it is the least support and economic and social benefit is also working to involve small gold mining companies of the State.

"In this partnership will be born the mining community, where they will take their advice, their machinery to grind and extract the gold, safety and housing. This is work that we do with other ministries to assure that small mining a different way to do this work, "he said Khan.

http://www.avn.info.ve/node/16239