The president and general manager of Falconbridge Dominicana (Falcondo), Darren Bowden, says the proposed mining of Loma Miranda would generate US$5.4 billion within the next 25 years in the Dominican Republic. He described the area as having 20 million tons of ferronickel.
Speaking as a special guest at the weekly lunch held by the Corripio Communications group, he insisted that the environmental studies showed that mining in the area is feasible. The company said that of the US$5.4 billion, US$1.7 billion would be taxes and dividends, US$700 million in investment and capital, US$800 for providers and RUS$700 million for employees. The remainder would be for energy supply.
He said that most of the workers were Dominican and the environmental impact could be mitigated. The company assures that the entire area will be forested once the mining operation is concluded.
Also present at the lunch were other members of the company, including Corporate Communications director Alain Astacio, Falcondo Foundation head Arelis Rodriguez, and environmental leader and Loma Miranda Project superintendent Fernando Cabrera.
The proposed mining project in Loma Miranda has been opposed by leading Dominican environmentalists and the Bishop of La Vega recently spoke out against mining in the vulnerable area, stating along with other critics that the company’s track record shows major damage to the mined areas in Monsignor Nouel (Bonao) province. Despite opposition from experts in the Ministry of Environment and Academy of Sciences, the Medina administration contracted the United Nations Development Program to issue an opinion on the proposed project, but this has not yet been presented.
Yesterday, Wednesday 15 May it was reported that Congress would review the Falcondo contract and legislators approved a resolution appointing a commission to review the contract.
Falcondo says that if the company is not allowed to mine in Loma Miranda it will close its operations in the Dominican Republic, as reported in El Dia.
www.eldia.com.do/nacionales/2013/5/15/114285/Falcondo-generaria-US5400-millones-al-Estado-en-25-anos