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Reuters reports schools and businesses were closed and Peruvian police fired tear gas on Friday to break up a protest at Newmont Mining and Buenaventura’s proposed $4.8 billion Conga gold mine as the government tried to mediate a bitter environmental dispute over the project.
Residents in the northern city of Cajamarca which has more than 200,000 residents (pictured), led by the president of the region, say a new mine – adjacent to South America’s largest gold mine Yanacocha – will harm agriculture and livestock by relocating water supplies. Conga would be the biggest investment ever in Peru mining.
BusinessWorld reports at the heart of the conflict is access to water: the Conga Project involves moving the water from four lakes located high in the mountains into reservoirs the company would build. Locals however say the reservoirs do not adequately replace the lakes, which also provides ground water for agriculture and for raising livestock.
The Age Reports one of the protesters carried signs that read: ”Without gold you can live; without water you can die” and ”The water belongs to the people, not the mining companies”.
Nearly 500 years ago in Cajamarca the Spanish conquistador Francisco Pizarro captured the Inca emperor, Atahualpa, and as a ransom demanded a room full of gold and two rooms of silver. The Incas handed over the precious metals but Pizarro killed Atahualpa anyway. Reuters quotes Jorge Rimarachin, a lawmaker from Cajamarca: “Everybody in Cajamarca knows the history of Pizarro. It’s very present in the minds of the people.”
At least 200 communities nationwide in Peru have organized to stop mining or oil projects, usually over environmental concerns or to demand direct economic benefits in rural towns according to Reuters.
In October, Newmont (NYSE:NEM) was forced to briefly shut down Yanacocha, South America’s largest gold mine over the Conga protests. Yanacocha represents almost 25% of Newmont’s total daily gold output.
4 Comments
Juan Vera
Mining is the main economic activity to develop any country in the world. Peru is a lucky country endowed with mineral deposits. GOD SAVES PERU.
Ampim69
Will Peru be developed with all these mining activities or it is just exploitation of the Inca gold
OracleOne
Russia is buying Iron Ore prospect – in Australia
Indian-Government-Owned company – in Afghanistan
Chinese-Government-Owned – in Afghanistan
US-UK corps – in Africa
US-UK corps – in New Guinea
etc.
Russians in Canada, Chinese in US, etc., etc.
You have been globalized, blended, mixed, you will all be brown, you all all speak the same language, you will all have the same culture, and you will all use the same currency.
You will all be peasants working for the royal ruling class.
Enjoy.
Juan Vera
Mining industry is the economic`s backbone in Peru. Peru’s economy is growing at annual 8% rate. They should manage and develop mining activities.