SANTO DOMINGO.- Executives of Barrick Gold Corporation (BGC), one of the world's largest mining multinationals, yesterday toured the areas where it conducts geologic studies in the Pueblo Viejo (northeast) mine, to determine the US$2.3 billion project's yield.

Together with the gold extraction, the Canadian company has identified some 2.6 million pounds of zinc, 358 million pounds of copper and 88 million ounces of silver.

It expects to conclude the feasibility study in the next months, to decide before February if the extraction is profitable, said BGC general manager in the country Rodrigo Rivas Mu�oz. He said the country's poor energy quality is a stumbling block for his company, as the activity needs uninterrupted energy.

The mine is considered the continent's oldest, as the Spaniards discovered it and began to remove the precious metal in 1505.