President Hugo Chávez said last week that the joint venture VenRus operate the site, which has estimated reserves of 35.2 million ounces.

"The Venezuelan State is ready to exercise sovereign control over their strategic mineral deposits (...) this does not preclude any form of relationship, partnership will study each case what the relationship," said Thursday the minister of Basic Industries and Mining, Rodolfo Sanz.

Questioned on whether the project would Crystallex, having waited for years to develop environmental permits, said "I have not said that." "When we have a decision on whom they will be contacted," he added.

The mine had been assured that he had not received a new instruction of Caracas, which the minister confirmed.

Regarding the operation Rusoro in Venezuela, Sanz said that its activities are carried out in other areas.

"Rusoro is not involved in Las Cristinas, Las Cristinas is Venezuela (...) we are associated with Rusoro in RusVen and RusVen is working with us in La Camorra and Isidora," he said.

(By Fabian Andres Cambero, written by Patricia Rondon Espin, edited by)