El Salvador’s Congress approves ending ban on metals mining

SAN SALVADOR, El Salvador (AP) — El Salvador’s Congress has approved a law that would lift the country’s seven-year-old ban on mining for metals. The law, proposed by President Nayib Bukele and passed Monday on a 57 to 3 vote, would allow mining everywhere except nature reserves and sensitive watersheds. It’s expected to go into law with his approval. The law bans the use of toxic mercury in gold mining, and would require private companies to enter a type of joint venture with the government to open mines. Environmentalists and the Roman Catholic church oppose the resumption of mining, citing potential damage to ecosystems, but Bukele called the ban “absurd” earlier this year.