A mining businessman denounced Zhihua Yangclose to the president José Jerífor alleged illegal mining in the Cajamarca region. The accusation indicates that Yang would have exploited a concession without authorization, extracting mineral informally and causing environmental damage. The case was revealed by the Sunday program Cuarto Poder.
According to the television report, the complaint comes from Jorge Espinoza Gray, representative of Black Stone Mining Company SAC, who states that the company América SAM, linked to Zhihua Yangentered without permission the Ricardo 1 mining concession, located in the Cuadratura hamlet, in the province of Hualgayoc.
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Espinoza maintains that the activities were carried out for several months in 2022, without authorization from the concession holder or the State. According to their testimony, explosives and heavy machinery were used to extract manganese, a mineral used in the manufacture of steel.
The tax investigation began that same year for alleged illegal miningafter a series of operations and technical findings. Although the Chinese businessman agreed to a principle of opportunity, the case returned to the center of the debate due to the political and business ties that surround Zhihua Yang.
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Dump trucks, concessions and a history of interventions for illegal mining
The tax proceedings were supported by reports from the Regional Directorate of Energy and Mines (DREM) of Cajamarca. These documents confirmed the existence of mining activity in the reported area, as well as the presence of machinery, extraction areas and material storage within the Ricardo 1 concession.
The INGEMMET geoportal confirmed that the coordinates intervened were within said concession. The exploitation was open pit, a modality that involves the direct removal of the land to locate the mineral. In this case, it was manganese, as explained by the complainant himself.
In parallel, the company América SAM, founded by Zhihua Yangwas involved in other operations against illegal mining. In May and August 2022, dump trucks linked to this firm were seized for transporting mineral without having a valid REINFO. Part of these vehicles was later transferred to China Railway No. 10, a company investigated for million-dollar contracts with the Peruvian State.
