After the president of the Council of Ministers, Mirtha Vásquez, announced that compliance with the closure plans of four mining projects belonging to the companies Apumayo, Sami and Compañía Minera Ares, with the Inmaculada and Pallancata units, located in the south of Ayacucho, the Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem) clarified that this has been taking place within the framework of the regular process established by regulations.
However, the Apumayo company asked the Government and its authorities to provide legal guarantees so that “responsible communication channels are established that allow an objective dialogue table; that lead us to peaceful solutions ”.
For its part, Hochschild, a subsidiary of Ares (Inmaculada and Pallancata), extended “a call to the prime minister to clarify the real scope of the act signed in Cora Cora and, in addition, reconsider the illegal position adopted.”
Ignacio Bustamante, CEO of Hochschild, questioned the premier’s statements. “The mining companies want to continue developing our operations, generating employment and dynamism in the country’s economy,” he told ‘Panorama’.
Meeting this week
Given this, the Deputy Minister of Mines, Jorge Chávez, announced that the three mining companies – which operate the four projects – will be summoned so that the companies explain their plan to close the mines that they have established themselves.
“I ask the mining companies for reassurance, that we sit down to talk, so that they can in one way or another present their plan to close the mines, the documents are to comply with them,” said the official to ‘Punto final’.
This announcement comes after Prime Minister Vásquez, in dialogue with the Republic, announced that she was going to summon them to explain their position and that the Government’s position is that all parties can comply with the established plans. And he indicated that he is willing to negotiate.
Faced with these statements, Bustamante pointed out that “the prime minister has said that she is open to dialogue, and I want to say that we are also open to meet with the prime minister.”
Closing plan
Former Vice Minister of Environmental Management José de Echave explained that what was announced by the premier is not irregular, since the schedule of the Mine Closure Plan that the companies themselves established from the beginning of operations and that was approved by ministerial resolutions is being met. “Announcing that the four units have an approved schedule and, therefore, it has to be complied with, I don’t see how the current regulations affect,” he commented.
However, Iván Lanegra, former vice minister of Interculturality, pointed out that an extension of the mining operation can be requested, for which a modification of the Environmental Impact Study (EIA) must be submitted, which must be analyzed by Senace, and if necessary approved, the schedule of the closure plan could be changed.
And in effect, Vice Minister Chávez said that if the mining companies in the process of closure wish to continue operating, they can still request an expansion from the corresponding entities. “If they show us that they are about to present, or have presented, for this to be extended, of course, within the framework of the law we are going to comply,” he noted.
OEFA: possible non-compliance by miners
The OEFA reported that to date it has carried out 82 supervisory actions to the four mining companies operating in the south of Ayacucho, of which many have ended in sanctions, and fines of more than half a million soles (119.93 UIT) have been imposed.
Likewise, alleged breaches of the obligations contained in the mine closure plans by Pallancata and Inmaculada were detected.
Reactions
Mirtha Vásquez, president of the Council of Ministers
“Pallancata is in progressive closure until December and the final closure begins in 2022. Inmaculada begins the final closure in 2022. Breapampa is the only one that would have progressive closure until 2023.”
Jorge Chávez, Vice Minister of Mines
“We have your mine closure plan presented. Those who must present, if there is an extension, are not us, but the companies. At no time have we said that we are going to close the door ”.
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