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Three major mining companies have an active presence in the Dominican Republic: Barrick and Xstrata, and Gold Fields Ltd.
- Gold Fields have a strategic exploration alliance with GoldQuest carrying out generative exploration for gold.
- Barrick are currently completing a feasibility study on the Pueblo Viejo Au-Ag-Zn mine.
- Xstrata (Previously Falconbridge) has been successfully exploiting nickel laterites in the Dominican Republic for almost 25 years.
Nickel continues to be the most important mineral to the Dominican economy and the major source of foreign earnings from the mining sector. According to U.S. Geological Survey data, the country ranks 8th in world nickel mine production. The only nickel producer is Falconbridge Dominicana, a subsidiary of Xstrata with minority equity position held by the Government of the Dominican Republic.
Production of gold and silver from the Pueblo Viejo mine, once of great importance to the Dominican economy, ceased in 1999. The state owned mine was auctioned by the Dominican government in 2001 which was won by Placer Dome.
Mining and exploration in the Dominican Republic is regulated by Mining law 146, which was promulgated and published in the Official Gazette No. 9231 in June 1971.
The Government agency responsible for administering the mining law is the Direccion General de Mineria, part of the Secretaria de Estado y Comercio.
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