Last update:
2014-04-08

Antamine Copper Mine, Peru

One of the most important projects in the country. Long Data Conflict that affects inhabitants and the environment from its open pit in the Andes, along the mineway to the coast and even the fishermen of Huarmey port.



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Description:

Antamine is one of the largest mines in Peru, it is exploited to open Tajo, measures 2,000 meters long, 1,000 meters wide and 500 meters deep, it is one of the largest producers of copper, zinc, molybdenum and byproducts of Silver and lead.

The progress of the exploitation caused concern in the comuneros. The first protests in 2006 motivated the intervention of the Office of the Office of the People of the Région Ancash who intermediate for a dialogue with the community. Consequently, various meetings were held to address various topics such as the degree of land, employment, relocation and development, with the participation of the company and the Ministry of Energy and Minas. The main affected villagers are from the Santa Rosa community, and other comuneros of the Cajacay District, and JUPROG's comuneros in the San Marcos District, Acuash Region.

In this context, the Community requests the realization of studies of impacts of mining in the health of the community to the Occupational Health Center and Protection of the Environment for Health (Censopes). The study determines health risks due to exposure to heavy metals of the comuneros, checking cases where blood metal levels exceed the maximum allowed. The company has publicly expressed its doubts about the results and questions to the employed methodology.

In April 2008, the comuneros make public complaints based on the reports of censopes and indicate that the company, despite the report, has not taken any action or those affected have received medical care.

In March 2009, the comuneros make a judicial complaint against the company For the crime of heavy metal contamination (lead, cadmium and arsenic) and risk to health. The complaint with the Special Provincial Prosecutor's Office of Crime Prevention of Huaraz (ANCASH) is based on the results and conclusions of the evaluation carried out by Censopes. The inhabitants request relocation and compensation for contamination.

In October 2009 Faced with this complaint The company disseminates a statement in which the results of the study have generated confusion Among JUPROG's commuvers and questions the realization of a third study in charge of censopes with the support of the Regional Management of Natural Resources and Environmental Management of the Regional Government. The company maintains that the study should not be carried out without first sharing a technical table in order to ensure a correct interpretation of the results. Likewise, it reports that it agreed with the Vice Ministry of Health, constitute a technical table with the participation of Digesa, Censopes and Antamina in order to ensure an adequate intervention and correct interpretation of the results.

In addition there are conflicts in several zones, such as the protests of the chipta comuner (pallares) by disappearance of water eyes, there are also conflicts by transport [1].

The mine pipeline that transports the material to the coast has generated multiple spills on its way to the port of Huarmey, which has produced serious pollution problems between fishermen [2].

Despite the protests, Antamina continues to insist that her activities do not contaminate. However in 2011 in Juprog denounce the death of Cuyes and Truchas and permanent presence of a dust that sits on the plants, which made the authorities present [3].

In July 2012, a new spill occurs in Santa Rosa.

The National Institute of Health made three studies that confirmed copper, arsenic and lead pollution In the blood of the inhabitants. Results that were confirmed by the studies of the Occupational Health Center and Protection of the Censopes Environment: the company tried to deny these results. Huarmey inhabitants respond with a stop [4]

in 2017, a new spill occurs due to a breaking of the pipeline that poured minerals over the River Fortaleza [5 ].

Between 2010 and 2014 the mining has been fined 14 times by the OEFA for breach of environmental standards for an amount of half a million dollars in total [6] .

In 2011, the residents of several sectors claimed for the breach of the Development Agreement signed in 2007 with the mining company. They made a stop and blocked the way by seeing that SES suspended the meeting agreed with the mine. The mine sent two public relations during the protest. Cypto settlers, Juprog, San Pedro de Picchu were arrested by the police. Sixteen inhabitants reported having been beaten by members of the police. The comuneros Melitón Castillo and Narciso Espinoza were charged by the Mine of Kidnapping and sentenced in April 2017 to 24 years in prison. The Supreme Court of Justice absolved them. [6] [7].

Antamine is also one of the companies that has subscribed for protection agreements with the National Police [8].

During the pandemic, it did not stop working, reaching more than 210 workers infected by the COVID-19 [9].

Keywords: Open Cast Mine, Land Entitlement, Displacement, Impact Assessment, Heavy Metals, Health, Blood, Compensation, Transportation, Fishers, Leakage, Molybdenum

Basic Data
Name of conflict:Antamine Copper Mine, Peru
Country:Peru
State or province:Ancash
Location of conflict:Province of Huari, San Marcos District
Accuracy of locationHIGH (Local level)
Source of Conflict
Type of conflict. 1st level:Mineral Ores and Building Materials Extraction
Type of conflict. 2nd level:Tailings from mines
Land acquisition conflicts
Mineral processing
Specific commodities:Copper
Silver
Lead
Zinc
Molybdenum
Project Details and Actors
Project details

At 4300 msnm, one of the ten largest mines in the world in production, in Yanacancha, Open Tajo Mina with operational life 30 years proven and probable reserves 743 million tons of material with a 1.06% copper law, zinc 0.67%, silver 11.7 GR / TON, Molybdenum 0.026% 125 km. Online Straight of the Mine Al Puerto Lobitos in the province of Huarmey through a 304 km hydration.

See more
Project area:620.
Level of Investment for the conflictive project3,600,000,000
Type of populationSemi-urban
Affected Population:35,000+.
Start of the conflict:2006
Company names or state enterprises:Compania Minera Antamina S.A from Peru - es una empresa constituida en el Peru, cuyos accionistas son cuatro companias mundiales
Xstrata Coal from Switzerland - con el 33,75%
BHP Billiton (BHP) from United Kingdom
Teck Resources Limited (Teck) from Canada - con el 22,5% Teck (Canada)
Mitsubishi heavy industries from Japan - con el 10%
Relevant government actors:Defender of the People of Peru, Ministry of Energy and Mines, Special Provincial Privalal of Prevention of the Crime of Huaraz, Regional Management of Natural Resources and Environmental Government Management, General Directorate of Environmental Health
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available:Occupational Health Center and Protection of the Environment for Health, (Censopes). This state institution performs the sampling of, blood in the year 2006.
National Institute of Health
National Human Rights Coordinator CNDDHH
Conflict & Mobilization
IntensityMEDIUM (street protests, visible mobilization)
Reaction stageMobilization for reparations once impacts have been felt
Groups mobilizing:Farmers
Indigenous groups or traditional communities
Local ejos
Neighbours/citizens/communities
Social movements
Ethnically/racially discriminated groups
Quechua Communities
Fisher people
Forms of mobilization:Blockades
Community-based participative research (popular epidemiology studies, etc..)
Creation of alternative reports/knowledge
Involvement of national and international NGOs
Lawsuits, court cases, judicial activism
Media based activism/alternative media
Official complaint letters and petitions
Public campaigns
Street protest/marches
Strikes
Arguments for the rights of mother nature
Studies of Impacts of Mining in Health
Impacts
Environmental ImpactsVisible: Air pollution, Food insecurity (crop damage), Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Soil contamination, Soil erosion, Waste overflow, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality, Mine tailing spills, Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Groundwater pollution or depletion
Health ImpactsVisible: Other environmental related diseases, Accidents, Health problems related to alcoholism, prostitution, Occupational disease and accidents
Potential: Violence related health impacts (homicides, rape, etc..)
Other Health impactsLead pollination and other heavy metals
Socio-economical ImpactsVisible: Displacement, Land dispossession, Loss of landscape/sense of place, Social problems (alcoholism, prostitution, etc..)
Potential: Increase in Corruption/Co-optation of different actors, Loss of livelihood, Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, Militarization and increased police presence, Specific impacts on women, Violations of human rights
Outcome
Project StatusIn operation
Conflict outcome / response:Compensation
Criminalization of activists
Court decision (victory for environmental justice)
Migration/displacement
Repression
Application of existing regulations
Unfulfilled Compensation Agreements
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?:No
Briefly explain:The permanent complaints of spills and pollution, both along the mineway, and in the port of Huarmey by the affected villagers, have not received ears from the authorities, in the case of the displaced people who came to a compensation agreement have Denounced that this is not being fulfilled.
Sources & Materials
Juridical relevant texts related to the conflict (laws, legislations, EIAs, etc)

Eficiencia del cobre para la conducción de energía que permitiría el ahorro energético
[click to view]

Teck, empresa accionista de Antamina se lanza al mercado de las energías renovables en Chile
[click to view]

[1] Servindi - Criminalización de la protesta III
[click to view]

[1] Cobre para la energía verde
[click to view]

[2] Huarmey en paro de 48 horas contra minera Antamina por Acuifero Cascajal
[click to view]

[3] Servindi - Contaminación en Juprog
[click to view]

[4] La Republica - Metales pesados en la sangre
[click to view]

[5] Servindi - Rotura de mineroducto
[click to view]

[6] OEFA muta a Antamina
[click to view]

[7] wambra.ec - Criminalización de la protesta
[click to view]

[8] OCMAL - Criminalización de la protesta II
[click to view]

[9] CooperAcción - Convenios con la policía
[click to view]

[10] CooperAcción - 210 contagiados en Antamina
[click to view]

Other comments:Investments: US $ 2.3 billion in 2001, for expansion of 38% capacity
Meta information
Last update08/04/2014
Conflict ID:797
Comments
Legal notice / Aviso legal
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