Minister of Natural Resources Vickram Bharrat has clarified misconceptions surrounding the government’s decision to suspend a special mining permit in Aranaputa, Region Nine, emphasising that the permit was granted to the Aranaputa Neighbourhood Democratic Council (NDC) and not a foreign company.
“There is a misconception that a special mining permit was given to a Brazilian investor or a Brazilian company. I want to state clearly that our Mining Act states that medium- and small-scale mining cannot be done by foreign entities. The permit was granted to the Aranaputa NDC, and they then partnered with a Brazilian investor, which they…