Petaquilla

Petaquilla Gold, S.A. Audited for ICMI Certification

Petaquilla Minerals Ltd. (TSX:PTQ)(OTCBB:PTQMF)(FRANKFURT:P7Z)(the “Company”) is pleased to announce that its wholly-owned subsidiary, Petaquilla Gold, S.A., a signatory of the International Cyanide Management Code (the “Code”), has been audited by a lead auditor and a technical expert as part of the final process to become certified by the International Cyanide Management Institute (“ICMI”).

Companies that are signatories to the Code must have their operations audited by an independent third party to demonstrate their compliance with the Code. In this regard, Petaquilla Gold, S.A., once certified by the ICMI, will join only 14 other gold mining companies worldwide possessing this certification.

Within the next two months the technical expert will conclude a final review of the Company’s Molejon Gold Project to confirm compliance with minor recommendations prior to submitting the final report to ICMI for issuance of the official certification.

The ICMI was established to administer the Code, to promote the Code’s adoption and implementation, to evaluate its implementation, to manage the certification process and to make information on safe cyanide management practices widely available.

The Code is a voluntary industry program covering the manufacture, transport and use of cyanide in the gold mining industry. The Company supports the promotion of responsible management of cyanide used in gold mining for the purpose of enhancing the protection of human health and reducing the potential of environmental impacts.

About Petaquilla Minerals Ltd. Petaquilla is a growing, diversified gold producer committed to maximizing shareholder value through a strategy of efficient production, targeted exploration and select acquisitions. The Company operates a surface gold processing plant at its Molejon Gold Project, located in the south central area of its 100% owned 842 square kilometre concession lands in Panama – a region known historically for gold content. In addition, the Company has acquired 100% of the Lomero-Poyatos project located in the northeast part of the Spanish/Portuguese (Iberian) Pyrite Belt and several other exploration licenses in Iberia.

Petaquilla -Spanish companies interested in tourism in Panama

Petaquilla - Castilla del Oro Foundation

Public companies from Extremadura in Spain devoted to promoting tourism will visit Panama this month to meet the authorities of Colon Province with the aim of reaching an agreement to renew activities designed to promote San Lorenzo Fort as an international tourist attraction.

These agreements are made with the support of the Castilla del Oro Foundation which, seeking to reactivate tourism in certain areas, established its second operational centre in the Los Santos Province. As part of the initiatives, a launch was acquired to transport tourists in the Pacific sector of the Los Santos and Veraguas Provinces.

As a first stage in promoting tourism during the month of July, Castilla del Oro Foundation has also acquired two buses for transporting tourists from the beachside hotels to the historical monuments of Coclé, Los Santos and Veraguas.

Another project Castilla del Oro Foundation is to undertake is the remodelling of the Casa del Pueblo de Ocú and in the near future funds will be donated for renovating the San Francisco de la Montaña church tower in Veraguas.

http://www.diaadia.com.pa/edicion/actual/etcetera-interna.php?story_id=4714&edition_id=20110711

Petaquilla helps the small farmer

Petaquilla Foundation began this February 3, 2011 offering grants to small farmers in the communities near the mining projection.  Among the major programs that the Foundation is offering is the Fattening of the Bird.  In the Molejon community the foundation delivered 100 baby chicks to the wife of Isaac Ortega as well the food necessary for their growth.

Mining finances future government works

CARLOS CORDERO ANEL
ccordero@laestrella.com.pa

PANAMÁ.
Given the lack of resources, the Government commitment to mining as a source for funds for an ‘ambitious’ investment plan includes a series of mega-projects and other works set in the Investment Plan for the next four years.
The government ‘needs to raise more’, said the President of the Republic, Ricardo Martinelli.
Resources are needed for use in the execution of works, purchase of medicines, building hospitals and providing better services to the population.
While mining in the country continues to generate a potential rejection by the people, the government continues to show that they will not back down and is expected to approve next week the amendments to the Mining Code governing the activity.
Since last May, Minister of Economy and Finance (MEF), Alberto Vallarino, stated that the revenue gained from the new mining concessions would be funds for financing the works described.
Vallarino said that only Petaquilla Mine itself would provide $ 5.000 million in thirty years.
The government has raised taxes on taxpayers, the Fiscal Responsibility Prosecutor will not allow the State to continue borrowing said economist Adolfo Quintero.
Another alternative for obtaining government funding would be the sale of actions of semi-privatized institutions.
For 2011, the budget includes investments of $ 5.409 million add to that more than $ 200 million for damages caused during last year’s floods.
Quintero said these emerging factors are not covered by the budget, making it necessary to search for new sources of income.
The Plan of Government of the Alliance for Change, developed in the campaign, Martinelli
promised once in power, he would ‘update’ and review the mineral potential of Panama.

(this is an excert of the original article)