Nicaragua to shine at the 2012 PDAC Convention in Canada

PRLog (Press Release) - Feb. 16, 2012 - Nicaragua will be participating in this year’s Prospectors & Developers Association of Canada (PDAC) Convention, the world’s leading mining event, with the objective of showcasing the successful development of the country’s mining sector and its investment opportunities. The Nicaraguan delegation that will attend the conference to be held in Toronto from March 4th to the 7th, will be led by the country’s Chamber of Mines and will include representatives of the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM, for its acronym in Spanish) and PRONicaragua, the official investment promotion agency, as well as renowned mining companies with operations in Nicaragua such as B2Gold Corp., HEMCO, Condor Resources and Calibre Mining Corp.

One of the highlights of Nicaragua’s participation in the event will be the seminar entitled “Nicaragua: Discover the Mining Opportunities”, scheduled for the morning of Monday, March 5th in Room 205CD of the North Building of the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. The seminar will highlight Nicaragua’s pro-mining legal framework keen to attract overseas expertise and capital to develop the country’s mining industry.

The first part of the seminar will provide an overview of the mining sector in Nicaragua, detailing the measures adopted by the government to promote investment in this industry. Speakers will include Emilio Rappaccioli, Nicaraguan Minister of Energy and Mines; Carlos Zarruk, Director of MEM; Sergio Ríos, President of the Nicaraguan Chamber of Mines; and Javier Chamorro Rubiales, Executive Director of PRONicaragua.

In addition, the seminar will review successful cases of mineral exploration and mining development in Nicaragua, including B2Gold’s US$150 million investment in the country and the successes achieved by Condor Resources, HEMCO and Calibre Mining Corp. in their operations in Nicaragua.

Nicaragua will also host a booth (#1604) at this year’s PDAC Convention where participants will be able to obtain information on the country’s mining sector and its investment opportunities. Some of Nicaragua’s competitive advantages as an investment destination in the mining sector include abundant natural resources, solid legal framework, government support, economic stability, high levels of personal safety and preferential access to the main markets in the world.

In recent years, Nicaragua's mining sector has experienced a successful development, with gold exports reaching US$222 million in 2010, a 244 percent growth when compared to exports in 2007. Furthermore, statistics of gold exports up to the third quarter of 2011 reached US$259 million, surpassing the 2010 mark and representing an 81 percent growth versus the same period last year.

PDAC’s International Convention and Trade Show is the world’s leading convention for people, companies and organizations in, or connected with, mineral exploration. The four-day annual event brings together over 1,000 exhibitors and 27,700 attendees from 120 countries, providing an opportunity to attend technical sessions, short courses and social and networking events.

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PRONicaragua is the Nicaraguan Investment Promotion Agency, established in 2002. It is a non-profit, public-private institution whose mission is to generate economic growth and job creation in Nicaragua by attracting high-quality foreign direct investment. The agency provides complimentary support services to qualified investors seeking investment opportunities in our country.