2023-05-01 20:35:40
Project that is developed in the town of San José, in Arequipa, had the participation of MINAM and UNDP
The Ministry of Energy and Mines (MINEM) together with the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), through the planetGOLD Peru project, inaugurated five plants to process gold without mercury in the center San José town, in the Mariano Nicolás Valcárcel district, Arequipa region, where artisanal and small-scale mining is carried out.
The plants were delivered to the partners of the La Nueva Victoria mining company, who, through the gravimetric table and the recirculation of water, will be able to reduce annually, in their production processes, 90% of the 260 kg of mercury they emit and released into the environment with the quimbaletes.
In addition, the miners will continue to receive technical advice in the following months for the optimization and learning of the use of the gravimetric plant for greater gold recovery. The equipment will benefit both miners and manual sorters.
In this regard, Oscar Bravo, Coordinator of Social Affairs in Mining Formalization of MINEM, welcomed the diffusion of new technologies for gold processing among artisanal and small-scale miners.
“We hope it can be replicated in other areas of the country, as we consider that it is an example for other miners to be interested in this learning and equipment, to produce in a different way that generates value; above all because with this we get all of us to bet on a more responsible mining, turning it into a clean social activity”, he emphasized.
The event was held at the end of April in the La Nueva Victoria mining camp, with the participation of representatives from MINAM, MINEM, UNDP, the Regional Government of Arequipa and the Municipality of the La Eugenia Populated Center.
As part of the activities, the demonstration of the operation of the plants and a space for dialogue with the miners of the aforementioned company and the members of the Association of Mineral Selectors of Katarata were included.
For his part, Yakir Rozas, Regional Manager of Energy and Mines of the Regional Government of Arequipa, congratulated the artisanal and small-scale miners for their openness to training and improving their practices; and indicated that the Regional Energy and Mines Management will continue to support initiatives that provide technical assistance for the mining sector.
Related article
Peruvian engineer invents mercury-free gold extraction process
#MINEM #inaugurates #plants #process #gold #mercury #artisanal #smallscale #mining