Dominican Republic president halts GoldQuest mining project after protests

The Dominican Republic's President Luis Abinader ordered on Monday the suspension of any activity related to GoldQuest Mining's gold and copper project, after thousands of people protested over environmental concerns.



The Romero Project, in San Juan province, is being developed by Canada's GoldQuest, which said earlier on Monday it recognized the demonstrations and was committed to transparent development.



Governments across the region are struggling to balance the economic incentives of mining projects with environmental pledges.



While Argentina has recently legislated in favor of miners better accessing glacial regions, Panama's biggest copper mine - also run by a Canadian firm - was forced to shut down over concerns about what critics deemed insufficient state contributions and concerns about its impact on soil, water and wildlife.



Thousands of people took to the streets to protest on Sunday, walking about 20 kilometers through San Juan to reach the Sabaneta Dam, a key water source that they fear could be threatened by the mine.



"When citizens express worries and concerns, our duty is to act with caution and transparency," Abinader said. Exploratory concessions were granted in 2005, but the project has yet to receive a permit for exploitation, he added.