Overhaul ordered at Barrick mine

VELADERO SPILL

audit on Thursday.

The Thursday meeting, which also included Barrick president Kelvin Dushnisky and the governor of San Juan province, came as Barrick confirmed a Reuters story on a deal with China’s Shandong Gold Mining Co, which bought a 50 per cent stake in Veladero for US$960 million.

Barrick, the world’s largest gold miner, has been temporarily restricted from adding cyanide to the mine’s gold processing facility. The Toronto-based company, which counts Veladero as one of its five core mines, said no material impact was expected on the mine’s projected 2017 production.

Barrick’s work plan should include “the complete re-engineering of the operational and environmental processes and standards of the Veladero enterprise,” a statement from the San Juan government said.

“We have held constructive meetings with government representatives in recent days and have agreed on a path forward that addresses their concerns,” said Barrick spokesman Andy Lloyd.

Aranguren said the province would make any decision on an eventual fine for Barrick.

Argentina’s environmental ministry has asked a federal court to halt all activities at Veladero, “until there is a guarantee that there will be no environmental damages.”

Operations at the highaltitude mine were temporarily suspended last September, after falling ice damaged a pipe and spilled some ore saturated with cyanide solution over a raised bank.