Loading ...Chile’s environmental watchdog is “weeks away” of issuing a decision on whether Gold Fields (TSX, NYSE: GFI) harmed a group of 25 short-tailed chinchillas by attempting to move them so it can access 3.5 million ounces of extractable gold in the country’s north.
Hunted for centuries for their thick, soft pelt, chinchillas are now only found in the wild in parts of Chile and are protected by law. Chief executive Nick Holland acknowledged in 2017 the animals were among the main obstacles facing the company at the Salares Norte asset.
Wellbeing of 25 chinchillas weighs on Gold Fields access to 3.5 million gold ounces