* Says foreign companies interested in Las Cristinas mine
* Cristinas has reserves estimated at 17 million ounces (Adds details, quotes, background)
By Marianna Parraga
CARACAS, July 8 (Reuters) - Venezuela rejected calls on Friday to change rules that limit miners to exporting just 50 percent of their gold output, saying the system was "favorable" to foreign companies working in the South American country.
Industry Minister Jose Khan also said the government had received interest from various foreign companies in its giant Las Cristinas gold mine, which has estimated reserves of 17 million ounces but has not been developed since the 1980s.
"They are regulations that were made to favor these companies," Khan told reporters. "No one can criticize it ... no one can reject it. It is an issue of sovereignty."
Foreign companies have complained the country's export limits curb their ability to secure financing abroad, as well as develop projects in Venezuela and generate jobs.
The chief executive of Canadian miner Rusoro (RML.V: Quote) told Reuters last month it was not interested in Las Cristinas if Venezuela did not change the export rules. [ID:nN1E75N0XV]
Last year, Venezuela agreed to let gold miners export up to 50 percent of production, from 30 percent previously. The other 50 percent must be sold to the central bank. [ID:nN12113998]
In 2009 President Hugo Chavez launched a joint venture between Venezuela and Russia to develop Las Cristinas that envisioned the participation of Rusoro, which is owned by Russia's Agapov family and already runs mines in Venezuela.
Las Cristinas is considered one of Latin America's largest gold deposits, but it has not been developed since the government expelled Italian adventurer Amalfi Grossi who operated the mine in the 1980s. Locals, who once found a 1-kg gold nugget there, claim Grossi cursed the mine.
Khan said the government had received interest from several foreign companies in developing Las Cristinas, including from other Russian companies.
Venezuela has some of the region's largest gold deposits in its south. According to official figures, formal mining in the country produces 4.3 tonnes a year. (Writing by Daniel Wallis; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
