Barrick Gold and Goldcorp to start gold production in Dominican Republic
15-Aug-2012 La Tercera – News
Pueblo Viejo, 60% of Barrick property and 40% owned by Goldcorp, is located at 100 km. north-east of Santo Domingo. The deposit is estimated to have 25.3 million ounces of gold
Canadian Barrick Gold and Goldcorp have announced today that Dominican Republic Pueblo Viejo mine has started to process gold and commercial production of the site will start during the fourth quarter this year.
Pueblo Viejo, 60% of Barrick property and 40% owned by Goldcorp, is located at 100 km. north-east of Santo Domingo. Pueblo Viejo deposit is estimated to have 25.3 million ounces of gold.
In May 16.4 million tons or mineral (containing approx. 1.9 million ounces of gold) were mined. However, ore processing only started today during startup of two autoclaves.
Autoclaves are metallic high-pressure vessels similar to large-size high-pressure cookers, that are filled up with ground mineral to separate the several metals contained in rock.
Sources from Barrick Gold and Goldcorp said that the mine is now “carrying out the rest of activities to start running the plant”, including the two remaining autoclaves startup.
Jaime Sokalsky, President and Delegate Advisor of Barrick has stated through a press release that “Pueblo Viejo is a world-class asset, one of the few mines to produce more than one million ounces of gold per year”.
Barrick Gold is largest gold producer in the world. In May the company reported their profits increased 3% during first quarter of 2012 to be around US$ 1,030 million.
The company develops projects in America, Africa, Australia, and New Guinea-Papua.
In South America, Barrick has two gold mines in Peru, one in Argentina, and two in Chile as it is the case of Pascua-Lama project located in the Chile-Argentina border containing about 52.8 million ounces of gold, 38% of proven and probable reserves of the company
