In an effort to boost its mining sector, the head of Colombia’s national mining agency (ANM) said the country plans to hold a bidding round for gold exploration contracts early next year.
The mining areas will be scattered around Colombia and subject to counteroffers.
Juan Miguel Duran, president of ANM, said the agency will discuss potential projects with local communities and governments, provide initial technical information, and begin talks with environmental regulators to help create a smoother process for the winners.
Earlier this year, Colombia opened five strategic copper areas for bids. ANM awarded the first contract in September to local miner Carbomas SAS for an area in the province of La Guajira.
Source: Reuters