Argonaut Gold is a Canadian gold company engaged in exploration, mine development and production
Image: Argonaut Gold provides update on San Antonio Permitting. Photo: Courtesy of Khusen Rustamov from Pixabay.
Argonaut Gold announced that the Mexican Environmental Authority (SEMARNAT) issued a ruling to not approve the updated Environmental Impact Assessment (Manifiesto de Impacto Ambiental or “MIA”) for the San Antonio project in Baja California Sur, Mexico. The primary reason SEMARNAT cites for not approving the MIA is non-compatible zoning based on a revised, 2018 zoning plan filed by the municipality of La Paz.
The Company is reviewing all of its options from seeking an amendment to the La Paz 2018 zoning plan based upon the July 2016 supreme court ruling, submitting a revised MIA and legal options.
Pete Dougherty, President and CEO stated: “We are disappointed with SEMARNAT’s decision to not approve the MIA for the San Antonio project. We have worked hard with the local community and have had positive feedback. We have tremendous support for the project from the local community of San Antonio and the surrounding areas, where members of the local population marched in support of the project and voiced unwavering support at the public information meeting during the MIA process. We continue to believe that San Antonio provides an opportunity for a model mine with the use of clean technologies that also provides near and long-term benefits to the region.”
The Company cautions that there is no assurance that permits will be issued and that permitting continues to be subject to regulatory processes of uncertain duration.
Source: Company Press Release