Regional Support for Mining Including the Salave Project - Seite 2

Trade associations, trade unions, professional associations and other institutions have signed today in Oviedo, Spain a statement in favour of the metal mining in Asturias. They see it as a "great opportunity" to establish the metal mining as a strategic activity, with more than 3,000 direct and indirect jobs and $450 million in investment in recent years, although it is still emerging.

The president of the Asturias Organisation of Entrepreneurs (FADE), Pedro Luis Fernandez, read the statement in favour of the metal mining, which in Asturias consists of gold, silver, copper and fluorite and in the Spanish and European industries is becoming increasingly important.

The statement specifies that despite the deep historical tradition of mining in Asturias, the metal mining remains unknown and sometimes, is "rejected" by some social actors that refer to the effects that mining activities may have on the environment in which they develop.

The statement considers it essential to inform the Asturias society that things have been "doing well" and thanks to this metal mining, Asturias has become an "international leader" in innovation and good practices.

The head of the Asturias Trade Association has detailed the ten key points for the strategic defence of the mining activity. These are based on the need to care for and maintain the heritage of Asturias as an example for the mining industry. He has also highlighted the sector's ability to "reinvent themselves and persevere" in order to continue generating economic and social progress.

In relation to the metal mining, he stressed out that the wealth of the mines, together with the "mining tradition" and both high academic and professional qualified workers can significantly increase the number of investments and jobs for the region.

He has appealed for dialogue by the agents in the sector, institutions, companies, organizations and other groups linked to mining, as the reliability and legal certainty are the "starting point" for the establishment and continuity of mining projects in the Autonomous Region of Asturias. To this end, he has warned that "excess of judicial solutions" in this activity can threaten and question the image and viability of the sector as a whole.