2015 Administrative Complaint filed by Affected Community Residents against B2Gold

In 2015, residents of Santo Domingo and Managua filed a complaint with the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources (MARENA) of Juigalpa (the capital city of the Department of Chontales) against Desarrollo Minero de Nicaragua S.A. (DESMINIC S.A.), a wholly owned subsidiary of B2Gold. The complaint accused the company of, among other things, a failure to comply with the Environmental Impact Assessment requirements under the General Law on the Environment and Natural Resources (No. 217), damage to natural resources, non-compliance with environmental permits, failure to comply with required remediation, revegetation and reforestation measures in exploitation areas, and improper handling of timber extracted from exploitation areas in relation to La Libertad Mine. The complainants requested, among other things, that the MARENA order a technical and legal environmental inspection of identified areas, interview affected community members, redress and compensation for environmental damages, and the imposition of a fine and closure of the mining project (Denuncia Ciudadana).