Santo Domingo. - The mining company Xstrata Nickel Falcondo will shutter Dominican Republic operations in less than five years if it doesn’t get the go ahead to exploit Loma Miranda, in central La Vega province, senior executives warned Thursday.

Xstrata Dominican Republic general manager Jose Luis Lopez said the company's operations are subject to the Environment Ministry’s approval of the environmental impact study submitted by the company, which he affirms shows that mining is feasible and won’t cause major damage to the region’s ecology.

He said the company has mined ferronickel in nearby Bonao for more than 40 years complying with all the requirements stipulated in the country’s environmental laws without a single complaint neither ecological nor of other type of disaster .

Lopez spoke at the offices of the Engineers, Architects and Surveyors Guild (CODIA) in an activity hosted by the Dominican Geology Society.

http://www.dominicantoday.com/dr/local/2012/9/13/45097/Wed-leave-within-5-years-if-denied-mine-permit-Xstrata-warns

The Loma Miranda mineral deposit is located some 17km southeast of the city of La Vega and 22km north of the city of Bonao.

According to its owner, Xstrata-Falcondo, the deposit contains 22.9 million tonnes of ore grading 1,44% of nickel.

Development of Loma Miranda could extend Falcondo's mining and smelting operations in Dominican Republic for another 20 years.

Ecologists and local people fear that solid wastes and gases, resulting from the expansion, will accelerate degradation of the soil and the air, as well as negatively impact on the vital Jima River.

http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11461