Pasco: Faced with the imminent overflow of the Quiulacocha tailings dam, Amsac calls for urgent action to be taken

Given the imminent overflow of the Quiulacocha tailings dam, which would affect the towns of Quiulacocha, Rancas and Yurajhuanca, in addition to contaminating the waters of the Ragra and San Juan rivers, the state-owned company Activos Mineros (Amsac) requires the Emergency Operations Center National Institute (COER) and the National Institute of Civil Defense (Indeci) Pasco to take urgent action.

The general manager of AMSAC, Antonio Montenegro, reported that the drastic decrease in the free edge of the tailings dam is the product of the presence of heavy rains that have exceeded an average of 8 millimeters per day, and with it the forecasts of the Senamhi.

“Currently, the free edge reaches 51.5 cm when the safety range of the tailings dam must be greater than 100 cm. Faced with the situation described, We demand the activation of urgent contingency measures to prevent an eventual environmental and social catastrophe.”he urged.

Likewise, the official specified that, for the control of acid waters, the company has increased treatment volumes from a capacity of 7,000 m3 in 2021 to more than 8,000 m3 per day to date. Additionally, rainwater has been diverted from the Excélsior waste dump.

“Anticipating the increase in rainfall as a result of global warming, we began leveling and maintenance work on the tailings dam (…) Unfortunately, this work was suspended as a result of the forceful actions of social groups linked to particular interests in reuse ”he explained.

Quiulacocha tailings dam

The Quiulacocha tailings deposit is located in the district of Simón Bolívar, province and department of Pasco, and is a mining environmental liability that contains around 70 million tons of tailings, in an approximate area of ​​110 hectares, whose remediation and control it was assumed by the State and entrusted to AMSAC, through Supreme Decree No. 058-2006 EM.

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