“Canada’s Gran Colombia Gold files $700 million lawsuit against Colombia over Marmato project” – 10 April 2017

Canadian miner Gran Colombia Gold has filed a US$700 million lawsuit against Colombia under the Colombian-Canadian free trade agreement after the government ordered the company to cease operations at the El Burro site in Marmato until it has further consulted with local residents…The Marmato project has been plagued by controversy ever since operations began 10 years ago, with heavy resistance from traditional mining communities of the 500-year-old town…The court’s decision could set a dangerous precedent, as Segovia, the company’s second key asset, also faces opposition from traditional mining communities…Although many details are confidential, Gran Colombia’s suit alleges that the local government failed to evict illegal miners from their sites of operations in Marmato and Segovia, and didn’t stop the Marxist armed guerrilla group, the ELN, from interfering with their efforts to extract gold in the province of Antioquia…Gran Colombia Gold is not the only international company to be locked in a legal battle against the Colombian government, with South African miner, AngloGold Ashanti, also struggling to retain access to 33 million ounces of gold at their La Colosa site…