DR1 Daily News - Dominican Republic

“Not all money is good money,” says the old saying. Yet, with gold prices at record highs, many are insisting this is the time to exploit gold in the mountain valleys of the Dominican Republic.

Mountain valley inhabitants, environmentalists, academia and priests have been protesting the government authorizations that could lead to the green light for gold mining operations in an area in San Juan de la Maguana where communities fear it will impact water sources.

The Dominican Academy of Science experts say that the project would affect water resources because the proposed mining site would be located 900 to 1,000 meters above sea level and above the confluence of the San Juan and La Guama rivers that discharge their waters into the Sabaneta Dam. The Academy of Sciences opposes any mining operation at 500 meters above sea level.

The venture...