BRAZIL - Luna Gold of Vancouver made the unhappy announcement that armed robbers had relieved its Aurizona gold project in Maranhao state of an estimated 1,500 oz of gold on Dec. 29, 2010. No employees were injured during the robbery, and local police are investigating.
The company is developing the mine for commercial production later this year. It will be an open pit and processing plant with an output of 60,000 oz/y. Reportedly, seven armed men attacked the site in the middle of the night. They took hostages and blew open a safe where the gold was stored. The hostages were released unharmed.
Luna Gold's president & CEO, John Blake commented, "The safety and welfare of our employees is our highest priority and we will ensure that those involved receive appropriate support and counselling. Theft in this manner is disturbing and regrettable. The company is co-operating with authorities and will update the market when information becomes available."
The company said it has insurance to cover this type of loss and is in the process of filing a claim.
See the website at www.LunaGold.com for complete information about the Aurizona project.
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