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Sunday, February 17, 2013

Masked intruders raid Greek gold mining company





There has long been vehement opposition to the prospect of a gold mine and processing plant being built at Skouries in the Halkidiki peninsula, with residents objecting to what they say will be the destruction of the environment and of pristine forest in the area, leading to the loss of tourism and other local activities such as farming, the rearing of livestock and fishing.

In Sunday's attack, firefighters and police said the intruders raided the facility after midnight, using gasoline bombs and flammable liquid to set alight machinery, vehicles and containers used as offices, causing extensive damage.

Hellas Gold — 95 percent owned by Eldorado Gold and the remaining 5 percent by Greek construction company Aktor — holds mining licenses for an area covering 317 square kilometers (122 square miles) with proven and probable reserves of lead, zinc, silver, gold and copper.


READ THE ORIGINAL POST AT www.sfgate.com