Canadian Gabriel Resources, which owns Rosia Montana Gold Corp, said the application process for its Rosia Montana gold mine permitting in Romania should not be delayed by the recent court annulment of a zoning plan, according to Bloomberg.

“There is no connection between the Alba Iulia court ruling and the permit process,” Andreea Nastase, a spokeswoman, told Bloomberg. “We understand that the ruling refers to a zoning plan adopted in 2009,” Nastase said. An earlier zoning plan dating back to 2002 is “valid and in force.”

The Alba Iulia Court of Appeal recently ruled in favor of non-profit organizations Alburnus Maior and Rosia Montana Cultural Foundation. According to the NGOs, some members of the local council who voted for the zoning plans back in 2009 had a conflict of interest as some of their family members were employed by the mining company.

On the other hand, the Romanian Government said it has not received the documents related to the Rosia Montana project from the court. The two NGOs oppose the mining project, citing environmental issues triggered by the use of cyanide in the gold extraction process.

Gabriel Resources is still awaiting the environmental OK for gold mining in Romania. Rosia Montana mining project is jointly held by Canadian Gabriel Resources and the Romanian state. The state has a 19.3 percent stake in the project, through state-run company Minvest Deva. This project has been met with widespread opposition in Romania. Several non-governmental organizations oppose the project, saying it will destroy the environment in the Apuseni mountains area.

editor@romania-insider.com