Weil die Rosia Montana Gold Corporation offensichtlich ohne Genehmigung Bohrungen und Wege anlegte, soll sie nun Strafe zahlen. In einer Presseerklärung in formiert Alburnus Maior über den Vorgang. (Anmerkung aus dem kultur:land – 2.300 $ wegen illegalem Wegebau, da könnte ja manch Straßenbauunternehmen schwach werden…)
Rosia Montana, 28th July 2004 – Rosia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC) has been fined for violating a construction authorization which allowed for drillings in the so-called Bucium area. The company was fined 75million Lei (~$ 2300) by the Alba Iulia County Council for drilling and building access roads in unauthorized places situated in an area of Bucium known as Rodu-Frasin.
Rosia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC) which is 80% owned by Canadian-based Gabriel Resources (TSX:GBU) intends to realize Europe’s largest open cast gold mining project in Rosia Montana; entailing amongst other, the involuntary resettlement of over 2000 people. From its onset the development has been beleaguered with scandals and operational problems, including local, national and international opposition by both civil society and expert institutions. RMGC’s Bucium exploration concession (32 square kilometers) is an extension located immediately to the south of Rosia Montana. As is the case with Rosia Montana, the Bucium commune too, is a densely inhabited area.
The fine comes after substantial protests which were initially dismissed as unsubstantiated. Last week ‘Alpha-TV’, an Alba-Iulia based TV station, aired a reportage and images of RMGC illegally drilling in Bucium’s Rodu-Frasin area. It alerted the regional authorities and gave rise to an investigation. According to Ioan Dumitrel, Vice President of Alba Iulia’s County Council, RMGC violated a construction authorization by drilling and building access roads in unauthorized zones within Bucium’s Rodu-Frasin area. Dumitrel added that the illegalities were discovered last week following a visit which included official county council representatives. The current drilling program at Rodu-Frasin has been designed and supervised by RSG Global of Perth, Western Australia. Genfor of RB Drillings Ltd. is the company executing the works.
RMGC commenced exploitation in Bucium in 2001. In February and May 2004 Gabriel Resources announced successful exploration results in Bucium’s Rodu-Frasin area as well as the approval a 3 year extension of the Bucium exploration license. The company also announced that it intends to continue drilling during 2004. According to Gabriel Resources preliminary resource estimates indicate a resource of 814,000 oz Au and 1,502,000 oz Ag at the Frasin and Rodu deposits.
“We have since long been wondering how and where RMGC gets those positive drilling results from. The violations at the base of the fine are an important indicator. Given that many locals have since long questioned the validity of the company’s presence and activities, it would be important to for an impartial body investigate the validity of RMGC’s drilling results since inception. To date RMGC has not received any permits for its 2004 drilling campaign; this both for Bucium as well as Rosia Montana and we will insist for the situation not to change,” said Eugen David, president of ‘Alburnus Maior’, the local opposition group.
In an interview with ‘Evenimentul Zilei, a Romanian daily, RMGC’s spokesman Adrian Dascalu today said that to date the company had not received the official fine.
For more information please contact Eugen David on +40 (0) 740 280 309 or Alburnus Maior on +40 (0) 258 859328.
