Venezuelan Lawmakers Back Mining Permit
Monday October 10, 3:48 pm ET
Venezuelan Lawmakers Call for Government to Grant Mining Permits to Canada's Crystallex
CARACAS, Venezuela (AP) -- Venezuelan lawmakers called for the government to grant permits to Canadian company Crystallex International Corp. so that it can begin mining the country's largest gold mine. "It's urgent that (the government) grants the respective permits," members of Congress concluded in a special mining report dated Oct. 4 that was posted on the Venezuelan National Assembly's Web site. Venezuela has said it will turn over idle mines to small-scale miners as part of a review of all mining concessions and contracts. The Canadian company has said it is awaiting an environmental permit to begin production at the Las Cristinas mine.