Hundreds of Dominicans protest Canadian mining project

Hundreds demonstrated in the Dominican Republic on Sunday to protest Canadian company GoldQuest's proposed mining project.

The so-called Romero project aims to extract deposits of gold, copper and silver from a reserve of 1.1 million ounces, valued at around $5 billion, according to GoldQuest.

The project would be located in Central Cordillera, far from tourist areas, near the southern province of San Juan where the agriculture-based economy supports 143,000 residents.

Although the project still does not have the necessary permit, GoldQuest hails the Dominican government's "commitment" to moving forward with the project on its website.

"Water yes, gold no!" protesters chanted as they carried Dominican flags during a march to Sabaneta, home to the province's main dam, which supplies water to more than 30,000 hectares (74,000 acres) of crop-bearing lands.

The dam also produces hydroelectric power.

GoldQuest says its underground mineral extraction process has limited environmental impact, but locals worry the water supply will be tainted by the mining project.

"Water is our life," housewife Juana Ramon told AFP. "We don't agree because...they're going to spoil that water, damage it."

Local farmer Manuel Encarnacion is also against the project.

"If they exploit that, we would have to leave here. I'd rather die than let them exploit" this area, he told AFP.

But another mining operation in the Dominican Republic, Canadian company Barrick Gold's project in Cotui, has caused relocation of families and accusations of water and soil contamination, sparking protests, according to local press. 

Farmer and shopkeeper Leuri Camarena pointed to Cotui's experience and said, "We don't want that mining operation here."

"Here we grow rice, beans, pigeon peas, squash, plantains," Camarena said. "If we exploit that mine, what's going to grow here? We'll be eating gunpowder."