The Río Blanco copper mining project, located in the provinces of Ayabaca and Huancabamba, is owned by Zijin Mining Group and represents an investment of $2,792 million, a figure higher than the initial amount recorded in the portfolio of mining projects of the Ministry of Energy and Mines ($2.5 billion).
Francisco Ísmodes, general manager of Río Blanco, told Perú21 that the aforementioned copper project guarantees the protection of the ecosystem in which it is located.
He explained that the project before being acquired by the private equity company Zijin Mining Group was already facing certain conflicts with the community. For this reason, the company has intensified joint work with communities, peasant patrols and residents to establish positive relationships and promote understanding of the benefits of the project.
This work forms one of the fundamental pillars to carry out the initiative. “That is to say, Río Blanco is not a project that is going to be imposed on the communities and peasant patrols, but rather it is a project around which a consensus is going to be generated, for which we are building a space for dialogue on the issues of greatest concern,” said Ísmodes.
Atmosphere
The executive recognized that the territory where the copper project is located has an ecosystem that must be protected and cared for. Therefore, the mining company has identified all the environmental aspects of where the project is located to minimize the impact.
“For example, we are talking about the Samanga Paramos, the Huaringas Lagoons, and Mist Forests, which are ecosystems that coexist in this territory, but thanks to the characteristics of the Río Blanco project, the protection of these can be guaranteed. ecosystems,” he commented.
Ísmodes clarified that the current design of Río Blanco does not overlap with the existing ecosystem, since it is located at significant distances from the lagoons and moors.
“We talked about the project being more than 20 kilometers away from the lagoons, more than three kilometers away from the moors. This is a project that is not located in the head of the basin. Therefore, its development is viable and possible, caring for and preserving the environment,” he said.
Benefits
In addition to preserving the ecosystem and generating employment, Ísmodes stressed that the project seeks to improve the well-being of the communities and support public management.
He explained that in the areas near the project, promises have been made for years to improve hospital infrastructure, such as the hospitals in Ayabaca, Huancabamba, Huarmaca and El Algarrobo, which have not advanced. This situation extends to drinking water services and communication routes.
Ísmodes maintained that although the resources that Río Blanco can generate could allow the construction of reservoirs that solve the region’s water gap, regional government authorities and municipalities refuse to listen to information about the project’s opportunities.
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