The Copiapo Court of Appeals in Chile has suspended Barrick’s $8.5bn Pascua-Lama mine until the gold mining company completes building of infrastructure to prevent water pollution.

The court ruled that the company must complete the mine’s water management system in compliance with the project’s environmental permit to the satisfaction of Chile’s Superintendence of the Environment before restarting the construction in Chile.

Barrick has submitted a plan that is pending review by Chilean regulatory authorities in order construct the project’s water management system in compliance with permit conditions for completion by the end of 2014.

Following the completion, Barrick expects to restart remaining construction works in Chile.