The Ministry of Energy and Mines stated today that, for the present time, no mining concession exists for the Americano Nickel Limited, the company that acquired 100% of the shares of Glencore in Falconbridge Dominicana (Falcondo), as reported in El Caribe.
Minister Antonio Isa Conde told reporters that the sale of majority stake of the company means the new owners need to begin from scratch to request mining concession rights. “Even if the company involved in the acquisition of the shareholder package was the reincarnation of the Baby Jesus, the operation of the mine will not be restarted without complying with the stipulations contained in the law,” warned the official. Isa Conde maintained that they are a series of demanding compliance measures within the law that address the rights of local populations (e.g. the people of Bonao) to have the means to earn a sustainable living. Furthermore, the Minister insists that the government will assure that any investment in this sector will be transparent and based on the compliance with existing laws.