Last update:
2019-09-09

Lithium exploration in San Luis, Argentina

Lithium exploration in San Luis province. Neighbors organization rejects the mining project, and demands from authorities the preservation of protected natural area and water sources.



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Description:

This conflict is the first by lithium mining that occurs outside the area known as the "lithium triangle", which covers regions of Argentina-Chile-Bolivia. Unlike the rest of the conflicts by lithium in Argentina, located in the northwest of the country, San Francisco del Monte de Oro is located in the province of San Luis, 100 kilometers from the provincial capital. It has approximately 3 thousand inhabitants who, traditionally, developed agricultural activities on an almost virgin scenario, surrounded by saws, mountains, a lush flora and a diverse fauna that includes from wild boar to condors. The landscape is completed with five caudal rivers that constitute the water reserve, which feeds nature point and turned the site into an emerging tourist destination (Esteban, 2018). It is a region that already had mining activity, abandoned a few decades ago.

In September 2017 the company Latin Resources, which has mining concessions in San Luis, disseminated The results of a geological mapping and sampling of the Gemini mine, according to which he had found high concentrations of lithium in rock. La Mina Gemini, 12 hectares, is located within the Don Gregorio Concessions area at the Sierra Grande de San Luís, just 8 km from the town of San Francisco del Monte de Oro. Faced with this finding, a group of neighbors has expressed his opposition to the project. The own deliberative council (Municipal Legislative Power) of San Francisco has expressed its rejection of this type of mining, but since the Gemini Mine is outside the Ejido, the exploitation could also be carried out (group of studies in geopolitics and natural goods, 2018).

This deliberant council approved in 2016 an ordinance that establishes the prohibition of mining, storage and transportation of contaminant substances. Faced with the announcement of the potential exploitation of lithium, neighbors of the town of San Francisco del Monte de Oro, and the Paraje Río Juan Gómez, began to be mobilized and to request technical reports to specialists and scientists in the area (Esteban, 2018). His concern is that the project contaminates water sources, affects the protected natural area and damages the ecosystem of central saws. In addition, they denounce that the company made exploration without the corresponding permits, opening a path that has already generated negative impacts. They emphasize that the Government denies official information about the progress of the project. They meet meetings in public spaces, in order to disseminate information on the subject and plan activities, such as route cuts and request for signatures in support of a petitioner directed to the governor of San Luis, to suspend mining concessions.

The company claimed to have carried out a "community peace treaty" with the neighbors of the town, but these deny it. As an a history of mining conflict, the assembly "I love my saws" had been mobilized against a mining project of the company Olmos and Roldán, which was slowed down not to comply with environmental legislation.

Basic Data
Name of conflict:Lithium exploration in San Luis, Argentina
Country:Argentina
State or province:saint Louis
Location of conflict:San Francisco del Monte de Oro
Accuracy of locationHIGH (Local level)
Source of Conflict
Type of conflict. 1st level:Mineral Ores and Building Materials Extraction
Type of conflict. 2nd level:Mineral ore exploration
Specific commodities:Lithium
Project Details and Actors
Project details

La Mina Gemini, 12 ha, is within the area of ​​Concessions Don Gregorio that Latin Resources has located in the Sierra Grande de San Luís, just 8 km from the town of San Francisco del Monte de Oro. La Canadian Latin Resources reports That in addition to the Gemini mine, only in the province of San Luis has some 120,000 hectares of concessions for mining exploitation of pegmatic rocks, and also claims new applications of this type for 98,086 ha. The sampling presented by the company in September 2017 was performed without permission from the Government of San Luis. Recently new truck movements are observed, since the firm would have received the approval of the environmental impact report (group of studies in geopolitics and natural goods, 2018).

See more
Project area:400.
Type of populationSemi-urban
Affected Population:3,700.
Start of the conflict:2017
Company names or state enterprises:Latin Resources Limited from Australia
Relevant government actors:Deliberative Council of San Francisco del Monte de Oro.
Intendant of San Francisco del Monte de Oro.
Provincial Government of San Luis.
University of the Punta, Government of San Luis.
Ministry of the Environment of the province of San Luis.
Provincial direction of mining and the biodiversity program.
Program Management and Environmental Support, Industrial and Mining.
Environmental justice organizations (and other supporters) and their websites, if available:Autoconvocated neighbors of San Francisco del Monte de Oro and from Paraje Río Juan Gómez.
Assembly I love my saws.
https://www.facebook.com/yoamoamissierras/
Conflict & Mobilization
IntensityLOW (some local organising)
Reaction stagePREVENTIVE resistance (precautionary phase)
Groups mobilizing:Local ejos
Neighbours/citizens/communities
Local scientists/professionals
Forms of mobilization:Artistic and creative actions (eg guerilla theatre, murals)
Blockades
Community-based participative research (popular epidemiology studies, etc..)
Creation of alternative reports/knowledge
Development of a network/collective action
Media based activism/alternative media
Objections to the EIA
Official complaint letters and petitions
Public campaigns
Street protest/marches
Impacts
Environmental ImpactsPotential: Biodiversity loss (wildlife, agro-diversity), Loss of landscape/aesthetic degradation, Soil contamination, Surface water pollution / Decreasing water (physico-chemical, biological) quality, Groundwater pollution or depletion
Socio-economical ImpactsPotential: Loss of livelihood, Loss of traditional knowledge/practices/cultures, Loss of landscape/sense of place
Outcome
Project StatusProposed (exploration phase)
Conflict outcome / response:New legislation
Strengthening of participation
Proposal and development of alternatives:Protection of protected natural area. Tourist activities.
Do you consider this an environmental justice success? Was environmental justice served?:Not Sure
Briefly explain:The organization of the neighbors is maintained and are carrying out information strategies and visibilization of the problem. The Government has not explicitly manifested or provides neighbors with the information requested. The company manifests interest in exploring and exploiting lithium in the area of ​​central Sierras de San Luis.
Sources & Materials
Juridical relevant texts related to the conflict (laws, legislations, EIAs, etc)

Ley IX-0727 (2010). Declaración de zona protegida a las sierras centrales de la provincia de San Luis.
[click to view]

Ley IX-0309 (2004). Ley provincial de áreas naturales de San Luis.
[click to view]

Ley Nº IX-0889-2014. ZONIFICACIÓN DE LAS CUENCAS DE AGUAS SUBTERRÁNEAS O CUENCAS HIDROGEOLÓGICAS DE LA PROVINCIA DE SAN LUIS
[click to view]

References to published books, academic articles, movies or published documentaries

Grupo de Estudios en Geopolítica y Bienes Naturales. Vinculado al Proyecto PICT 2012-2628 La explotación del litio en la Argentina y al Grupo de Trabajo del Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales (CLACSO) Energía y Desarrollo en Latinoamérica.
[click to view]

"San Francisco del Monte de Oro, el pueblo que rechaza la megaminería de litio. Una alianza de científicos y vecinos". Por Pablo Esteban,Página 12, 26/12/2016.
[click to view]

"Litio: Latin Resources apuesta por San Luis". Mining Press, 22/09/2017
[click to view]

"San Francisco: Vecinos preocupados por posible explotación de litio". La Posta, San Luis, 26/04/2018.
[click to view]

"San Francisco: Por el "No a la Mina" protestarán en la ruta". La posta de San Luis, 18/01/2019.
[click to view]

En San Francisco y la zona están movilizados por la posible explotación de litio a cielo abierto. El Semiarido, 29/10/2018.
[click to view]

"Los vecinos de San Francisco desmienten que haya "Tratado de Paz" con la minera australiana que quiere extraer litio". San Luis Informa, 5/12/2018.
[click to view]

"Ambientalistas de San Francisco quieren reunirse con Rodríguez Saá". Tres Líneas, 26 de septiembre de 2017.
[click to view]

"Ambientalistas de San Francisco del Monte de Oro en alerta por nuevo proyecto minero". San Luis 24, 24/09/2017.
[click to view]

"Litio en San Luís: peligrosa lógica extractivista en nombre de la transición energética". Anred, 24/12/2018.

Por Grupo de Estudios de Geopolítica y Bienes Naturales del IEALC-UBA
[click to view]

"¿Puede instalarse la minera Géminis en San Francisco del Monte de Oro?", San Luis Ya, 29/02/2016
[click to view]

"SAN LUIS DESAUTORIZA A UNA MINERA QUE ANUNCIÓ HABER HALLADO LITIO", No a La Mina, 28 septiembre, 2017 | San Luis
[click to view]

Página de facebook de la Municipalidad de San Francisco del Monte de Oro. "MINA GEMINIS" A CONTINUACION TRANSCRIBIMOS COPIA DEL INFORME DEL MINISTERIO DE MEDIO AMBIENTE DE LA PROVINCIA DE SAN LUIS. INFORME 24 DE FEBRERO DE 2016

Sr. Intendente solicito acuse de recibo, cualquier duda o consulta estoy a su disposición.

INFORME 24 DE FEBRERO DE 2016
[click to view]

"AMBIENTALISTAS DE SAN FRANCISCO DEL MONTE DE ORO EN ALERTA POR NUEVO PROYECTO MINERO". Látigo web, 25 septiembre, 2017
[click to view]

San Francisco: vecinos buscan evitar que se exploten dos minas", El diario de La República, 29/09/2017.
[click to view]

"Piden suspender concesión de explotación de una mina", Apuntes de San Luis, 18/01/2019
[click to view]

Related media links to videos, campaigns, social network

VII Seminario Internacional de Litio - Latin Resources (Miguel Di Nanno) - Panorama Minero, junio 2018.
[click to view]

San Francisco Continúa la resistencia contra la extracción de litio. San Francisco del Monte de Oro:

Continúa la resistencia contra la extracción de litio. El fin de semana, los vecinos autoconvocados difundieron un video que resume la lucha contra los proyectos de mega minería que pretenden instalarse en la zona. El jueves habrá una nueva asamblea donde se reunirán los pobladores de San Francisco del Monte de Oro para definir las acciones futuras. Fuente: http://www.lapostadesanluis.com.ar/2019/01/san-francisco-continua-la-resistencia.html
[click to view]

Other documents

Localización de minas en exploración Fuente: https://www.latinresources.com.au/san-luis-argentina
[click to view]

Meta information
Last update09/09/2019
Conflict ID:4011
Comments
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