Antiquities department pressured to change stance on Mathiatis gold mining

Pressure is being exerted on the antiquities department to change its stance over protecting ancient artefacts in Mathiatis, in a bid to grant a company the licence to mine gold in the area, Greens MP Charalambos Theopemptou charged on Friday.

Speaking after a session at the House transport committee, he said that although discussion over the company’s application had come to an end when the environment department negatively opined on their environmental study, efforts had been exerted which managed to change the stance of the antiquities department.

Theopemptou said scientific procedures should be followed and having a company entering an area as sensitive as that of Mathiatis and begin working because it wanted to was wrong.

The firm, Hellenic Copper Mines (HCM), in a statement said they were fully prepared to abide by the requirements set out by the antiquities department which have been studied and deemed sufficient.

The proposed project, calls for the mining and transport of ore from the Strongylos mine in Mathiatis to the Skouriotissa gold plant.

HCM said the environment department had been clear that the project could operate with appropriate environmental conditions but for a small part of the total area requested.

Thus, the company submitted an objection over the delay in issuing a permit, it added.

Maps submitted by the government department support their position that reserves in the Strongylos mine are not ancient but from 1930-1940 which were made by American firm CMC extracting gold ore, the statement said.

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