Water supplies alleged contaminated by Peru gold mine
Copyright 2001 Reuters
September 28, 2001
LIMA, Peru - Hundreds of protesters blocked a major highway in northern Peru this week, alleging local water supplies had been contaminated by toxic mercury from Latin America's largest gold mine Yanacocha, but officials denied the report.
The protesters in the province of Cajamarca, some 530 miles (850 km) northeast of Lima, demanded mining be halted during probes into water purity.
"We reject the environmental contamination from Yanacocha," student leader Jorge Malca told Canal N cable television.
Yanacocha officials were not available for comment but Energy and Mines Minister Jaime Quijandria told RPP radio that it was "simply and totally impossible" for the water to have been contaminated with mercury.
He said water tables were checked monthly. Nevertheless he would ask judicial authorities to look into the matter and "If there is responsibility on the company's part, we are going to be the first to establish sanctions."
Yanacocha is controlled by North America's biggest gold miner by production Newmont Mining Corp. . Peru's Buenaventura holds a minority stake in Yanacocha.