Plans by Canada’s Barrick Gold to develop a massive mining operation high in the Andes have won environmental approval from Argentine provincial authorities, just months after the border-straddling gold and silver project received the go-ahead from neighboring Chile. The endorsement last month by Argentina’s San Juan province of Barrick’s environmental-impact study would appear to clear the last major hurdle for the US$1.5 billion open-pit project, which company officials say will yield 18.3 million ounces of gold and 685 million ounces of silver over its 20-year life. In Argentina, decision-making over mining projects rests with the provinces. With San Juan’s approval in hand, Barrick says construction of the mine will commence as soon as Argentina and Chile settle some... [Log in to read more]