The Chilean Court annulled the definitive closure of Pascua Lama

The Third Chamber of the Supreme Court of Chile overturned the verdict handed down by the Antofagasta Environment Court, which had definitively put an end to the Pascua Lama project. The decision arises following a complaint lodged by the The agricultural company Dos Hermanos Limitada, who pointed out the existence of a serious fault in the judgment, since they consider that it was taken into account during the consultation of the Superintendency of the Environment (SMA) on whether the closure of the initiative left or not two claims filed against the Case, in another line of procedure.

"The sentence did result in serious misconduct or abuseit must be remedied by this disciplinary way, "explains the resolution of the Supreme.

Thus, the ministers responsible for giving a future opinion will be Cristián Delpiano and Fabrizio Queirolo, as well as a judge at the Court of Appeal. They must make the decision, against which different scenarios can happen, Even if the closing of the project is not solved again.

The provincial authorities in San Juan are waiting to have more details on the scope of the measure before issuing an opinion on it.

A little over a month ago, Barrick Chief Executive Officer Mark Bristow had stated that the Pascua Lama option had not been totally ruled out by the company. pointing out that "we worked to tell them that we should review this project, understand the potential and see when it would be viable", at a conference with badysts to discuss the company's fourth quarter results Last year.

The Canadian company had invested some US $ 5 billion over three years in the construction of the binational Pascua Lama project. In 2013, work with 40% advance was paralyzed.

The Court ratified a decision of the Copiapo Court of Appeal ordering the paralysis of the works.

In October of last year, the first environmental court approved the sanction of the definitive closure of the project, but the company is studying the possibility of relaunching the initiative, the first binational launched in 2000 and which, to date , has never been reached. to exploit / sources: Diario El Zonda, Diario de Cuyo and RadioUChile.