AngloGold Ashanti’s Quebradona copper project in Colombia will be delayed by the shelving of an environmental permissioning process, Reuters reports.
A company spokesperson says it needs to be officially notified of a decision so it can understand why it was taken before it can prepare a new request. The project has not yet announced a start day.
The Colombian environmental licensing authority says the decision was based on technical considerations, including the definition of the project's area of influence, hydrological, geo-technical and hydro-geological issues, and considerations related to the disposal of mining residue. The Quebradona exploration in Jerico, Antioquia province, has already faced local opposition similar to efforts that forced the company to abandon a $US2B gold project in the country in 2017.