Ancient Roman mining galleries in a mountainous Romanian region that has been at the center of a long, fierce battle between a Canadian mining company and environmentalists were added to UNESCO's World Heritage list Tuesday.
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Rosia Montana, located in western Romania, is home to Europe's largest gold deposits. Gabriel Resources, a Canadian mining company that gained concession rights in 1999, planned to extract the gold and silver over a 16-year period.
Rosia Montana Mayor Eugen Furdui, who had supported the mining project, told Romanian news channel Digi24 that UNESCO heritage status would not bring any benefits to local residents or the country.
But Romanian President Klaus Iohannis welcomed UNESCO's decision. "Through joint efforts of the authorities and specialists, Rosia Montana must become a model of value for heritage through the sustainable development of the area," he said Tuesday.
The mining company, which invested hundreds of millions in developing the project, is seeking $4.4 billion (3.7 billion euros) in damages from the Romanian state for its losses. It said the project would have provided jobs in an area where employment opportunities are scarce.
"The UNESCO application was strongly opposed by the local communities in and around Rosia Montana," Gabriel Resources said in a statement Tuesday.
