Crystallex hopeful, but still waiting for Venezuela permit

Toronto-based Crystallex International, which is waiting for the Venezuelan government to issue a permit to enable it to start building its Las Cristinas project, in the country's Bolivar state, continues to receive encouraging intimations from various authorities, but has still not got its hands on the all-important permit, the company said on Thursday. Las Cristinas, which is believed to be one of South America's biggest untapped gold deposits, has estimated proven and probable reserves (based on a $550 gold price assumption) of 16,86-million ounces of gold, according to a September update by Crystallex.