Brazil federal authorities should take up Belo Sun mine case, court rules

Belo Sun Mining

11/09/2018 23:00

RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept 11 (Reuters) - A Brazilian court ruled
that a mine planned by Toronto-based Belo Sun Mining Corp
 BSX.TO  in the Amazonian state of Para should be examined by
federal authorities and its licenses reviewed, prosecutors said
on Tuesday. 
    The decision could further lengthen the approval process for
the company, which has been seeking to set up Brazil's biggest
gold mine just upstream of the massive Belo Monte hydroelectric
dam on a tributary of the Amazon River. The company had forecast
outlays of 1.22 billion reais ($293 million) over three years.
    In April last year, a federal judge suspended its license
until the miner conducted a study of the mine's impact on nearby
indigenous communities. The project had already been blocked by
a state judge due to irregularities in the acquisition of land
for the mine, according to prosecutors.
    In the decision announced Wednesday, the court said the
relevant indigenous authority was federal rather than
state-based, and that the nearby dam was licensed by federal
environmental authority Ibama.
    Ibama should review all the licenses previously granted to
the mine, it added. 
    Belo Sun said its state licenses "remain valid" and that it
will seek clarification from the justice system and
environmental authorities. It also said data was being collected
for its study on indigenous community impacts. 
    
($1 = 4.1521 reais)

 (Reporting by Marta Nogueira; Writing by Alexandra Alper,
Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
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