Santo Domingo.- Canadian miner Barrick Gold has invested in the plant in Pueblo Viejo , Dominican Republic US$2.9 Billion and is expected to begin operations in mid-2012 revealed its president Manuel Bonilla when attending a luncheon was organized by the Round Table of the Commonwealth Countries in Dominican Republic at the Santo Domingo Hotel.
The total investment planned for the next 25 years is US$3.8 Billion.
Bonilla added that the Dominican Republic by 2013 will become a mining country and this sector will contribute to GDP from 7% to 8%.
He said if the gold price trading at U.S. $ 1.400 an ounce the export of gold, silver and copper will be 17.5% of total exports and, if they were U.S. $ 1.800 an ounce would be 21.5% of total exports. The goal is to get 5 million ounces of gold over the next 5 years.