Characteristics of artisanal mining

The concentration of migrant artisanal miners is due to the characteristic

geological of this last one, among which it is worth mentioning the presence of veins

narrow and with a mineralization in Rosario that are not interesting for the
median or the large investment.

On the other hand, for unemployed people, entering mining without experience
Preview in the trade means an opportunity to earn money in a short time.
and to return soon to their places of origin. The people who choose this
possibility they learn from their family or friends, who welcome them and have become

miners over time. Consequently, they lack technical training and in the
most cases maintain rudimentary working methods.

a) Extraction methods
After an empirical search and once a vein they consider has been found
interesting, artisanal miners carry out mining using the method of
"Circado" which basically consists of making the shot in sterile and another one over the

a guide not to dilute the mineral law. The "busconeo" which is also characteristic
artisanal miners consist of exploiting in a disorganized manner only the
valuable parts of the vein without any order or plan and therefore are depleting the
mineral resource. They use tools such as picks, points, shovels, crowbars and
similar. The mine is abandoned when problems of lack of
ventilation or mineral reserves are depleted.

Extraction

The work is done manually and with rudimentary tools: tips,

combs, lamps.

In the tasks that reach 1.20 meters in height, miners can use
wheelbarrows for transporting the mineral.

Circado Exploitation Method

where the vein is very narrow and is exploited selectively, so that in one
in the first blast, the sterile material is extracted, and then in a second blast the
vein. It is generally used in the case of very thin and high-grade veins.
obtains cleaner ore (less diluted) than when the ore and rock are
breaks to a minimum width in the same blast. Market mechanism coverage
which allows setting a selling price for a certain quantity of a product.
Concentration Process by which mineralogical species with value
economic elements contained in a mineral are separated from the
non-valuable or waste material, using unit operations for this purpose
such as crushing, grinding, flotation, etc. Gravity concentration
Process that allows the separation of particles of different sizes, shapes, and weights
specific, through the use of gravitational force or centrifugal forces. By
for example, a grain of gold sinks in water much faster than a grain of
sand of the same size because the first has a greater specific weight.
Concentrate Product rich in metals obtained through the application of
separation and concentration processes such as flotation. Metals are
concentrates
neutralized sludge. Subsequently, these metals are extracted from the
concentrates through pyrometallurgical and hydrometallurgical processes in the
foundries and refineries.

Extraction methods

After an empirical search and once a vein that they consider has been found
interesting, artisanal miners carry out operations using the method of
"Circado" which basically consists of making the shot in sterile and another one on the

stop to not dilute the mineral law. The "busconeo" that is also characteristic
of artisanal miners consists of exploiting in a disorderly manner only the
valuable parts of the vein in no particular order or plan and therefore they are depleting the

mineral resource. They use tools such as picks, tips, lamps, bars and
similar. The mine is abandoned when problems of lack of arise.
ventilation or mining reserves are exhausted.

Exploitation Methods

Primary Deposits

Digging or searching

By this method, underground works (galleries, half tunnels, cuts,

(chimneys etc.) follow the veins in a disordered manner, seeking the areas of
greater enrichment (panning), circling the veins and extracting only the
rich in minerals.
Excavation or searching

Exploitation Methods

Primary Deposits

Cameras and Pillars

Method applied for the exploitation of horizontal and sub-horizontal veins

(mantles), mining operations follow the inclination of the bedding of the vein, the
dimensions and direction of them vary because the miners
artisanal mining continues the concentration of high-grade gold ore; they carry out
selective mining (vein circled), first they extract the ceiling box, leaving the
the mantle on the ground, the same one that is exploited through mining operations

called "bankruptcy", extracting the mineral while being careful not to mix it with the rock

box. As support, they leave pillars made of the same rock box.

Cameras and Pillars

CHOICE OF EXPLOITATION METHOD.
For the characteristics of the veins of our deposit, trackless mining cannot be considered, or
large-scale mining discarding all methods of long drills and the
regarding mineralized bodies. And if we take into account the power of 0.30 m. to 0.80
With variable bumpers, we will work by making a narrow cut, but as the
the slope of the cut varies constantly limiting us from being able to store load without
dilute discarding the methods of temporary storage and finally as the reality of
each site is different so we do not confine ourselves to a conventional classic method, because
It has been determined to apply the CUT exploitation method.
YRELLENOASCENDENTECIRCADOEN BRESTINGYRELLENOINMEDIATO. That it
we will explain later.
MINING AND BENEFICIATION ACTIVITY INTRODUCTION

The mining activity taking place in the coastal area of the departments of
Ica, Arequipa and Ayacucho; mainly consists of gold mining.
artisanal and conventional methods. There are also mining activities.
iron and copper forms, but they are centralized in large companies
scope. The study has a greater impact on gold exploitation,
considering that it is carried out in a dispersed manner throughout the departments
from Ica, Arequipa and Ayacucho; using artisanal methods (quimbaletes) and
conventional (slurry coal). 5.2. MINING

Artisanal mining is characterized by being labor-intensive and employing

minimal amount of equipment, developing veins or seams of reduced thickness and
high grade. The veins generally have between 1 and 10 cm, and grades that vary from 1 to 80.

0z/MT of gold. The development of the veins is due to the fact that gold is found in

barren rocks or those with very low gold content. The miner extracts
selectively (circled) the vein, omitting the concentration stage that
usually proceeds to the mining stage, significantly reducing the
processing cost. The circling method (selective mining) consists of
drilling, blasting, and extraction of the rock found beneath the vein
in the case of the mottled veins and extraction of the rock from the adjacent side
case of the vertical seams). Drilling, blasting, and extracting the rock

box above the vein (rock ceiling) is made to maintain accessibility and
continue the progress. The arrangement of the clearing is made outside of the
labor, when it is of shallow depth, or accumulates inside when it is
deep and/or reinforcement of the support is required. The artisanal miner obtains a
product with around 1.6 g/can as it prefers to extract something from the box to leave
valuable material in it. The vein is extracted with a pickaxe, with great care and without

explosives, placing the mineral on a blanket. It can be stated that the

informal mining is far from being a simple and rudimentary operation; on the contrary,
constitutes one of the few efficient techniques for the exploitation of this type of
deposits. This technique can be improved with professional advice.
adequate. 5.3. TREATMENT SYSTEM

The treatment of the ore begins with "pallaqueo", which consists of selecting
manually the material with the highest grade before being processed or marketed,
increasing profits due to the quality of the material and the reduction in cost of
transport and processing. Pallaqueo is convenient in fresh clearing.
originating from mines that extract a large amount of waste to the outside due to being

highly mechanized. ?? Quimbalete (amalgamation)

If the extracted mineral is of high grade (more than 2 grams per ton), it is crushed.
and processed directly in the quimbaletes at an average rate of one can per
every 30 minutes,

and even a longer time if the law is high. When the law is considered low, it
grind in batch ball mills, 200 to 400 kg (7 to 15 cans) of
capacity and driven by independent motors or coupled to the shaft of
traction of agricultural tractors. The grinding is generally done dry, but
not with the purpose of saving water, but to facilitate its discharge and handling, and
especially to prevent part
the mineral can stick to the walls and balls of the mill, as the
the same mill is used by different miners on the same day. The recovery and
gold quality, and the recovery of mercury is much higher in the
direct processing than with pre-processing in milling. The
the difference is more noticeable when the minerals contain oxidized minerals of
copper and soluble salts. ?? Equipment Description

The quimbalete is a type of large mortar. It is composed of a

chiselled stone by hand to give it a slightly oval shape at its base,
that allows a pendulum movement with minimal effort. The dimensions
The mortar is generally 70 cm by 35 cm in section and 50 cm high, and in
A horizontal plank is fixed to the top part to support the operator.
The base of the quimbalete or table is a flat rock on its upper part, which has
it is also carved by hand. Using cement and rocks, a wall is built
perimetric to form the cup of the quimbalete. A tube embedded in the part

The lower part of the front wall will allow the controlled discharge of the pulp at the end of the

operation. The construction cost of a quimbalete is approximately 300.

dollars, excluding the transport of the stones to the destination. ?? Loss of
Mercury

During the amalgamation, 20 to 400 g of mercury is lost per can of ore.

with an average of 65 g/can, which is equivalent to 2.2 kg/TM or 0.22%. This amount
the lost mercury ends up in the tailings of the quimbaletes. The loss of
Mercury during amalgamation occurs for the following reasons: Content
of pyrite in the mineral. Content of oxidized copper minerals and soluble salts.
Quantity and quality of water. Quantity of sludge. pH and Eh of the pulp Quality of

mercury used Addition or presence of chemical agents Contact time.

Most of the mentioned factors are not taken into account by the
miners or are unknown to them, having no care in trying to
control them. ?? Advantages of the Method

The quimbalete process is based on the fact that liquid mercury

swallow free metals like gold and silver (also copper when it is
present). The high density of the amalgam (greater than 15) and that of the own

mercury (13.6) allows them to sit at the bottom of the quimbalete or another
container and can be separated from the rest of the mineral that remains unchanged in
the pulp. The use of the quimbalete is advantageous for informal miners because

the following reasons: Immediate processing and close to mining activities,

accelerating the rotation of money and saving on transportation. Possibility of working
small amounts of ore, it is not necessary to accumulate ore as it is
requested by the traders.

-
??

Possibility of working with low-grade minerals without any problem.

Comparison with the Conventional Method
3

To obtain one kilogram of gold using the quimbalete method, 18 m is used.

of water, 3 while to obtain a kilogram by the conventional method one
emplea 300 m . Este ahorro de agua permite que se desarrolle la agricultura,
wherever possible, in parallel; as it is being greatly reduced
the consumption of water that could affect agricultural work. Just like
it allows for considerable water savings, it also saves oil, since for
Producing one gram of gold requires 0.31 gallons of oil, while for
the conventional method requires 2.37 gallons. It is estimated that the production of

The gold from informal mining activity in Ica and Arequipa is 9 tons per year.
Cyanidation

The use of cyanide for gold extraction is practiced in three ways.

Cyanidation in tanks, the most commonly used, and direct percolation cyanidation and
pelletization-percolation that are less used. The three systems recover the
gold with activated carbon. ?? Percolation

Percolation cyanidation, applied directly to the ore, is not practiced in

level

artisanal, although there have been several attempts to implement the method. The

the inconvenience that arose was that the mineral used was of very high grade and of
coarse granulometry, not being able to obtain very good results. Others
aspects, such as safety and proper handling of cyanide to avoid the
intoxication and poisoning require training by personnel
qualified. ?? Tanks

The other cyanidation system using tanks and activated carbon is quite
used for processing the quimbalete tailings. These plants
they have manual feeding, discontinuous system, simplicity, and capacity
reduced, reaching a maximum of 100 TM/day. ?? Pelletization and percolation

This process is not widely known despite offering some advantages over the
CIP process. The advantages are as follows: ?? Much lower cost of
investment and operation. Much lower energy requirement. Lower consumption of
water, coal and cyanide. Possibility of obtaining gold directly. Lower cost
of maintenance. Greater simplicity and less supervision. Less pollution.
Conventional Processing (CIP)

The direct processing of gold-bearing ore in a cyanidation plant is the

common practice in formal or traditional mining. The widespread application of
este método sería una alternativa ambiental para eliminar el riesgo de
mercury pollution, and although it introduces the use of another contaminant such as
cyanide, it is biodegradable and therefore

much less dangerous than mercury.

The use of this method will allow the installation of plants in barren areas.
what is near the mines, involving the miners and the owners of
the complaints. ?? Conventional processing of quimbaletes tailings

The tailings from the mineral treatment in quimbaletes contain amounts

gold nuggets that can only be recovered through the system of
Cyanidation. The tailings law ranges between 0.4 and 0.8 oz/TM. As is ...
Expecting, the tailings of the quimbalete contain considerable amounts of
mercury, which is discharged into the tailings of the cyanidation plants. The
Mercury is a potential source of contamination that requires management.
suitable to minimize its effects. 5.4. WATER PROBLEMS

The area is characterized by a lack of water, very dry and arid. The availability of
water not only limits the quality of life of the mining population and their families, but
what seriously the possibilities of economic growth of this activity and the
control of the environmental impact it entails. Water is considered a resource
scarce and expensive that mining must use rationally. 5.5. ENERGY

Most small and medium-sized formal mining companies generate the

energy they require using thermal groups powered by oil. The electrical energy
it represents 30.5% of the cost incurred in traditional mining, while in
Artisanal mining only accounts for 0.2%, or 3.9%

if the treatment of tailings is considered. 5.6. MINING ACTIVITY IN THE AREA

FROM PALPA-NASCA-MARCONA

The area is delimited by the hydrological interbasins and by the incidence of the
mining activities. The main interbasins found in the area of
the study is made up of the Grande, Tibillo, Nasca, and Ingenio rivers, which
they are seasonal and are characterized by their aridity and limited vegetation. The

deposits of Palpa and Nasca are characterized by being moderate veins

inclination, located in volcanic rocks or metamorphosed sedimentary rocks, the
most of them related to tonalities of the super unit Tiabaya. The
The impact of mining is caused by treatment plants, whether due to the
artisanal or conventional method, since these have discharges (tailings) that
they contain elements and/or toxic compounds (Hg, CN, etc.). The extraction of
mineral has no impact, as the accumulation of spoil outside of the
worked labor is minimal. The main activity of artisanal mining is
mercury (Hg) pollutant, which is released into the environment in gaseous form
in the sauté, and in liquid and solid forms (compounds) in the tailings. The
the use of mercury by artisanal miners is done in a way
careless due to the lack of knowledge they have about the problems that
they can occur themselves, and to the quality of water and soils. The main
plants found in this area are:
Name

of the Company Cía. Mra. Palpa S.A. Cía Mra. Paraíso S.C.R.L. Cía Mra. Zorro
Silver S.A. COMINDUS S.A. Pantac Robles, José Mining Projects of Peru
Abarca Soto, Martha L.

Name of the plant Benefit Plant Paradise No. 2 Llipata El Inka San José
Diana Processor Tulín

Llipata District The Engineer Llipata Vista Alegre Nasca Río Grande The Engineer

Province Palpa Palpa Palpa Nasca Nasca Palpa Nasca

In this area, in addition to the treatment plants for obtaining gold,

The company Shougang Hierro Perú S.A. operates, which is a large-scale activity.
scale that extracts and processes iron minerals. ?? Palpa Mining Company (EIA)

The plant of the Palpa Mining Company is located in the place of Chillo,
district of Llipata, province of Palpa, department of Ica, in an area
approximately 9 Ha. The installed and operational capacity is 25 TM/day.
the treatment system that the plant uses is the cyanidation of tailings and
adsorption with activated carbon. The establishment of the plant arises from the need
to achieve greater recovery of gold from minerals previously processed by
amalgamation by artisanal miners. The plant has a field of
tailings, a thermal group, a laboratory and camps. In the Study of
Environmental Impact that the company presented to the Ministry of Energy and Mines

(MEM) presented the results of the water analyses of the Grande River and water
underground. The results are as follows: Pto.
Evaluado Río Grande Agua Subterránea LMP Flujo (m3/sg) 10.0 0.2 pH 7.7 7.8 5-
9 Cond. Us/cm 2900 980 --CN Mg/L N.D. N.D. 0.005 Cu Mg/L N.D. 0.01 0.50 Pb
Fe Mg/L Mg/L 0.075 0.21 0.141 0.32 0.100 --Zn Mg/L 0.07 0.11 25.00

Considering the results obtained, we can affirm that there is no

excess in the concentrations of the evaluated parameters, except slightly in
the lead in the water. ?? Characteristics of the tailings Impact

The only impact that mining activity produces is the generation of tailings with
content of CN and Hg with a humidity of 10%. The tailings are compacted and

covered with quaternary material to prevent wind erosion once it is

follow. ?? Treatment system

The plant will process oxidized minerals with values of gold and silver by the method of

cyanidation in thin layers of 1.40 m. The cyanidation will be carried out in three pads

of 200 TM each, with the process lasting 30 days. The treatment capacity will be
20 TM/day.
??

Solid waste

The base of the courts will be waterproofed and will have a retaining wall.
The storage capacity will be 72,000 TM, which at a rate of 20 TM/day
from tailings, the field will be operational for 10 years. ?? Supply of
water

Water will be transported by tanker trucks from the Palpa River, covering
approximately 15 km. Water consumption will be 70% in the plant and 30%
domestic use. ?? Impacts

The village of Llipata is located 2 km from the plant, having its 220
inhabitants

the main activity is informal mining and to a lesser extent livestock farming
Agriculture. The plant is far enough away that it can cause
any effect on this town. The plant will not generate discharges.
industrial or domestic. The treatment system used does not generate
downloads and wastewater will be controlled with silos located away from the
camp. There are no underground works or issues in the area.
subsidence. ?? Mitigation and control Permanent control of stability of
land. Education and awareness of workers on environmental policies.
Creation of an Environmental Affairs Office. A plan will be carried out.
monitoring of liquid effluents and watercourses. Sanitation will be controlled and
environmental conservation. SHOUGANG HIERRO PERU MINING COMPANY,
MINA MARCONA ?? Mining
Mining activity takes place in the district of Marcona, province of Nasca,
Ica department. It includes the bay of San Nicolás, San Juan, and the area of
Marcona occupied by the mine, 14 km from the coastline. The exploitation is open pit.

open. The main iron ores are: Hematite (Fe2O3), magnetite

(Fe3O4), limonite (Fe2O3.12H2O). The method of exploitation used is open-pit.
open and they carry it out through a mining cycle, which is made up of
through a group of operations that range from the extraction of iron to the
installation in the San Nicolás processing plant. DESCRIPTION

FROM OPERATIONS The mineral is transported from the mine to 2 plants that
they have the primary and secondary crushing sections to deliver a product
80% smaller than 2" in diameter. Subsequently, the mineral is transported by
medium of 8 conveyor belts, one after another, totaling a
a route of 15.4 km in length to descend 800 m and with a capacity of
2000 TLS/h; until it reaches its treatment plant located in the sea, where it will be
accumulated in crude fields as oxidized material, quartzite, and ore
primary iron. After primary and secondary crushing, and before being
transported by belt to the plant, the dry separation process is carried out.
Cobbing) using two magnetic pulleys of 800
each is melted down, obtaining a material of higher grade and discarding the

dismantle. This system improves the iron law, separating those of low grade.
generated by the shots. The crushing is done at the treatment plant.
tertiary, magnetic separation, secondary grinding, final magnetic separation
classification by size, flotation, pelletization, transfer and shipping of
final products. 33% of the ore processed in the plant is separated as tailings,
which is composed mainly of pyrite, chalcopyrite, some
hematite, magnetite and large amounts of siliceous gangue accompanied by oxide of
calcium, magnesium, sodium, and potassium; with these tailings being discharged into the sea in the

San Juanito area. DESCRIPTION OF

THE IMPACTS ?? Material in stock

A large dust cloud originates mainly in two areas: (1) Transfer from the mine to the
crude areas; (2) the mineral stock area. ?? Crushing plant The
sieving plants generate large amounts of dust that is transported by
the 'Paracas' winds. ?? Magnetic plant always pollutes with gases,
Vapors, humidity, and dust. ?? Fine and bentonite plant There is presence of
burnt oil gases, high humidity, dust, heat. ?? Pellet plant Exists
generation of dust, gases. ?? Other impacts The drinking water comes from
from the district of Jahuay, it can be said that it is good, only the pH reaches 9.5.

Liquid emissions discharged at the mine (TSS) are above the LMP.

Plant emissions (including tailings) (TSS) are above

the LMP. In the liquid and pulp discharges that go to the sea coming from the
benefit plant linked to discharges from workshops and domestic services, the
total solids have the greatest impact; such as suspended, dissolved, or
sedimentable materials. Fats, oils, hydrocarbons can also be mentioned,
flotation reagents, heavy metals, sulfates. ?? Mitigation As a plan for
Mitigation can be mentioned: ?? Tailings disposal on land (2 years).
Dust mitigation in operation (4 years). Mining - metallurgical improvement
from the Power Plant (3 years).
5.7.

Hydrocarbons and environmental control (4 years). Treatment of domestic effluents

(4 years). Abandonment of disposition at sea (3 years). MINING ACTIVITY IN

THE ACARÍ-OCOÑA AREA

The study area is located in the provinces of Caravelí (Arequipa), and

Lucanas and Parinacochas (Ayacucho). The area includes the Caravelí basins.
(Fishers) and Ocoña. Hydrographic basins of Acarí, Yauca, Chala, Cháparra, Atico,

Except for the Acarí, Ocoña, and Yauca rivers, all rivers are characterized by
to present an irregular regime, reaching the sea only in summer and having water only
some months during the year. The area is characterized by its aridity and presence
isolation of vegetation. Rivers descending from the heights bring
considerable amount of water, but due to evaporation, infiltration and
Irrigation use does not bring water to the coast permanently. The rivers
Chala and Cháparra have a very irregular and torrential regime.
very limited water resource and sporadic runoff that very rarely occurs
it reaches the sea. The Ocoña River originates from the melting snow in the mountains, making

It is possible that the river has water even during the dry season, having a regime
quite regular. The mining practiced in the area is of the artisanal type and
conventional for gold extraction, with some mining companies existing
that work in polymetallic mines. The artisanal mining that is practiced in the
the department of Arequipa, just like in Ica, is the most efficient in
regarding water consumption, being a very important factor

given the scarcity of this resource in the area. Just like in the department of
In Ica, informal or artisanal mining has mercury as its main pollutant.
(Hg), which is released into the environment in gaseous form during the frying process, and in solid form
liquid and solid (compounds) in the tailings; as a consequence of the bad
management given to mercury. The tailings generated in the quimbaletes are
accumulated to be sold to treatment plants. Finally, the mercury,
like cyanide, they have as final disposal the tailings ponds of the
concentrating plants, as these are a potential source of pollution.
Among the main companies operating in this area are:
Nombre de la Empresa Minera La Perla S.A. Minera Aurífera Calpa S.A. Cal
["Minera S.A.","Southern Mining Investments Cía.","Mra. Bonanza S.A.","Minera Orduz"]

S.A. Minera Belén S.A. Inv. Mras. Kriete S.A. Alvarez Sanez, Claudio Cía Mra.
Caravelí S.A. Mra. Mollehuaca Community Laitaruma Mining Arirahua S.A.
Molino de Oro S.A. Nombre de la Planta Acarí Calpa Planta de Calminsa
Ishihuinca The Hope of the Inca María Belén Triple K. The Captain Chauchille
Mollehuaca Laitaruma Yareta San Juan de Chorunga Plant District Acarí Atico
["Bella Unión","Caravelí","Caravelí","Chala","Chala","Cháparra","Huanuhuanu","Huanuhuanu"]

Huanuhuanu Jaqui Yanaquihua Río Grande Caravelí Province Caravelí Caravelí

Caravelí Caravelí Caravelí Caravelí Caravelí Caravelí Caravelí Caravelí Caravelí
Condesuyos Condesuyos
CIA

San Nicolás Mining Extractive Metallurgy S.A. Commercial Mining Group S.A.
Minera El Rosario S.A. Gold Mining Korijaqui S.A. San Juan de Lucanas Huanca-
Massa OPERMIN S.A. San José Gold Company S.A. María- Orion Mining Company
Eureka S.A. Green Stains–Yaber

Victor Velásquez Metalex S.A. Gruminco Quimbaleta Korijaqui

Otoca Saisa Saisa Sancos Sancos Puquio Huanca Huanca Tocota Tocota
Cháparra Poroma

Lucanas Lucanas Lucanas Lucanas Lucanas Lucanas Lucanas Lucanas Caravelí

Caravelí Caravelí Caravelí

The artisanal mining practiced in the area does not have a major impact, as the
mineral extraction and the accumulated clearing is minimal. Next,
evaluate some of the mentioned plants, depending on the availability of Study
Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) and Environmental Adjustment and Management Programs

(PAMA) that the companies have made. MINING INVESTMENTS KRIETE

ENVIRONMENTAL (EIA) - JUNE 1995 S.A. 'TRIPLE K' - IMPACT STUDY

The company is located in the Convento area, Cháparra district, province of

Caravelí, Arequipa department, in an area of 15 hectares. The mining company
Inversiones Mineras Kriete S.A. is a mineral processing plant.
tailings from quimbaletes, with an installed and operational capacity of 15 TM,
using the cyanidation and activated carbon treatment system, obtaining
as the final product, the carbon pulp containing fine gold. The company
buy the mineral and the tailings from the
artisanal miners working in the Cháparra ravine and surrounding areas.
Treatment system

The treatment of minerals and tailings from quimbaletes is carried out by leaching.
with cyanide in agitation and adsorption tanks. For the recovery of gold, it
activated carbon is used, obtaining carbon pulp that is taken to Lima
for its desorption. The storage of ore and tailings from quimbaletes
collected in 100 TM capacity hoppers, from where the mineral is
transported by a conveyor belt to a 10” x 16” jaw crusher
to crush the ore to less than 3", being stored in a 30TM hopper
capacity. The material is ground in a ball mill and classified with a cyclone.
The fines go to the agitation tank and the coarser particles return to the mill.

minerals and the tailings from quimbaletes are treated in different campaigns, but
similarly. The cyanidation of the treated material begins in the grinding and
it ends in the tanks where activated carbon is added. For cyanidation, it
uses sodium cyanide (NaCN) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The amounts
used are 2kg/TM of Na CN and 1 kg/TM of NaOH The plant generates 15
TM/day of tailings that contain approximately 16 kg of cyanide. The court
the tailings have an effluent of 30 m3/day
??

Impacts

The main problem that the company's operation has is the material
particulate produced by grinding, crushing, tailings

and roads. The effluent from the tailings pond does not affect groundwater,
due to the clayey nature, high evaporation, and depth of the aquifer
The aquifer makes it difficult to access the resource. ?? Mitigation Among the measures to

to take for the solution to the possible problems that the plant has, we have:
Clay waterproofing of the tailings pond, Revegetation of the
field that is not used. Collection of the effluent from the tailings field for
recycle it completely in the plant. Installation of oil and grease traps
in the workshops. MINERA BELÉN S.A.–ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY
(EIA)–NOVEMBER 1995. The treatment plant carries out its activities in
the district of Chala, province of Caravelí, department of Arequipa, in an area
of 12.0 Ha. ?? Treatment system

The treatment of quimbalete minerals and tailings is carried out by

amalgamation and cyanide leaching in agitation and adsorption tanks. For
the recovery of gold uses activated carbon, being carried out the
electrodeposition in the same plant. When it comes to tailings, it is first subjected to

to grinding in a 3 x 4 mill, then classified; the fines go to the system of

Agitation with activated carbon and the coarse particles return to the mill. ?? Desorption

separation of coal and gold is done in a closed circuit. This system is

composed of a reactor, a heater, and an electrodeposition cell.
use an alkaline cyanide solution
with an organic solvent (ethanol) at a temperature of 80°C. This solution
It will circulate through the electrolytic cells in which gold precipitates in the
cathodes. The precipitated gold goes to the smelting furnace, obtaining the gold doré.
The regeneration of coal is done in hydrochloric acid to reduce the
concentration of calcium carbonate and silica, then it is subjected to reactivation in
a rotary kiln to finish the process. ?? Tailings Fields LA
CANCHA DE RELAVES Propiedad Longitud del eje mayor del polígono Area
Maximum height Crest width Total volume of the deposit Capacity of
almacenamiento Gravedad específica Volumen de relave por año Tonelaje de
relave por almacenar/año Vida probable Medida 130m 1.05Ha 25 m 3m 3 157.757
m 394.396 TM 2.5 3 12,000 M 30,000 TM 18 years
??

Impacts

The impacts consist of the potential effect that they may have on the
waste produced by the 'Belén' Plant. Among the waste we have: Solution
bar of the carbon columns, from desorption and that coming from reactivation
from coal (1.7 L/s). Tailings with leaching cyanide content. Waste of
mechanical-electrical maintenance workshops (oils, greases, scrap, etc.)

Due to the properties of the land, such as not having cracks and having
Clay properties, the contamination of the groundwater is unlikely. Due to
the aridity of the area makes the occurrence of mudslides unlikely or
mudslides.

METALEX BENEFIT PLANT (EXTRACTIVE METALLURGY S.A.)

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY (EIA) – NOVEMBER 1996. The plant
METALEX is located in the district of Saisa, province of Lucanas,
Ayacucho department. The activity will take place from the Acarí River, at 750
msnm, up to the summit of the Ajla Huito cone, at an altitude of 1,485 msnm. The area is

characterized by presenting a perarid and semi-warm climate, typical of the climate

subtropical coastal. The temperature varies from 15° to 24° C. The company is located at

the right bank of the Acarí River. The Acarí River has water all year round, with a
minimum flow of 500 L/s and maximum of 40 3 m/S. The channel reaches 500 m of
moderate width and slope. The Acarí River has river shrimp and catfish
within the limits of the sites. Agriculture is almost non-existent, as the
Most of the land is barren, rocky in nature, and has steep slopes.
Mining
The company has several tasks it is currently working on. The main vein
is 6 Pallarniyoc-1, with a reserve of 2 x 10 TM and a grade of 9.0 gr/TM. The gold is
found in its native form in quartz and associated with limonite, hematite, sulfides of

iron, silica, alumina, and milky white quartz. ?? Treatment system

According to the EIA, the METALEX plant will operate under the cyanidation system and

floating. The processing stages are: crushing, grinding, leaching and

floating. The plant will process gold-bearing minerals and amalgamation tailings.
court

The tailings will cover an area of 15,000 m² (150 x 100 m).

waterproofing and stability studies. The maximum height anticipated, after
4 years of operation, it is 7 m. Water will be supplied by pumping from a
well, at a rate of 250 m/day. The water table is located 10 m deep.
3
??

Tailings production and distribution of gold CYANIDATION TM/year 26,000

0.2106 25,999 Ley de Au g/TM 9.0 99.9% 0.9 Contenido Au 234.0 210.6 23.4
Distribución % 100 90 10

Gold Head in Coal Tailings

CHARACTERISTICS OF CYANIDATION TAILINGS Oxides and silicates Pyrite

Galena Esfalerita Pirrotita Tetrahedrita Marcasita Covelita Otros ?? Impactos %
Approximately 92.0 2.0 0.9 0.9 0.5 0.2 0.2 0.2 3.1 FLOTATION Oxides and silicates
Sulfuros Otros % Aproximado 98.0 0.8 1.2

The impacts produced by the operation of the plant are particulate matter,
liquid discharges and possible spills. The spills of solutions of
cyanide can occur in the mill and in the tailings discharge system. The
The tailings pond will not impact the environment, as it will be located away from the riverbed.

from the river, the waterproofed base with clay and there are also no groundwater
close to the surface. All the discharge will be recirculated. The mineralogy of
the material to be discussed does not contain sulfides, ruling out the possible generation of

acid waters. ?? Artisanal Mining

Near the METALEX plant is the town of Huanca, with a

population of 1000 people who

they are dedicated to artisanal mining. All these people work with the ore they extract

of free access veins and develop the normal milling operation

merger, not leaving aside the water supply services and sales of
mineral and tailings. MINERA CARAVELÍ S.A. - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY
Caravelí Mining is located in the Chauchille area, district of Huanu-Huanu.
Caravelí province, Arequipa department, at an average altitude of 1,100.
msnm. Previously, the company Gold Mine, Capitana II carried out the activities.
Carabaya River only has water in summer, but in isolated springs.
Water supply in the area comes from wells, as the groundwater is
it is found at a depth of 10 m. ?? Mining

The main mining operations are the Capitana vein, Teniente, Chinito (open pit.
open with pillars). The vein is cut from the lower level to the upper level.
??

Treatment system

The treatment plant has a capacity of 30 tons/day, operating with

minerals and tailings from quimbaletes for gold recovery. For the
recovery of gold from cyanide solution uses zinc powder or carbon
activated. The tailings are bulky due to the amount of fines and clay slimes
and oxides. The mineral laws fluctuate between 16 and 80 g/TM. The system of
alkaline cyanidation and activated carbon recirculates all the discharge from the field of

tailings. AURIFEROUS MINING CALPA S.A. The company is located in

the area of Calpa, district

from Atico, province of Caravelí, department of Arequipa; at 2,000 meters above sea level.

Mining

Mining is carried out using the cut and fill method.

conventional ascending. The production of 500 tons/day is stored in a hopper
of equal capacity. ?? Treatment system

The processing plant is designed for the treatment of 500 tons/day of

gold-bearing minerals, first concentrating the gold-bearing pyrite by flotation and then

cyaniding the concentrate to obtain the doré of gold and silver the method of
Merril Crowe. The treatment plant has crushing operations,
milling, flotation, cyanidation of the concentrate, precipitation of gold and silver, and the

melting of the precipitate. ?? ?? Reagents used Sodium isopropyl xanthate

Z-11: Promoter of sulfide flotation. Aerofloat 208: Promoter of the
sulfide flotation. Dow Froth 250: Reagent for sulfide flotation.
Sodium Cyanide: As a solvent for gold and silver. Slaked lime: Modifier of
pH of the pulp, preventing cyanide decomposition. Lead Acetate: Improvement
the precipitation of gold and silver. Zinc Dust: Precipitates gold and silver from the
rich solution. Impacts

Particulate material or dust produced in the mineral reception hopper, in the

chancado y molienda. El polvo producido no sale de la planta porque la velocidad
The wind in the area is moderate. The tailings ponds (flotation and cyanidation)
they are located in barren lands, unsuitable for work

Agricultural. The oil and cyanide tanks do not have aerial protection.
making its storage unsafe. There is no good final disposal of
the engines, mining cars, empty cyanide cylinders and scrap metal. The waters
Domestic wastewater is discharged into the tailings pond without any prior treatment.
SOUTH MINING INVESTMENTS S.A. - ADJUSTMENT PROGRAM
ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT (PAMA) OF THE U.E.A. CARAVELÍ (JULY 1996). The

mining company exploits the mining deposit of Ishihuinca in the district and
Caravelí province, Arequipa department; between 1,700 and 2,500 meters above sea level.

Mining

The extraction of the deposit is carried out by the method

underground dynamic ascending cut and fill. ?? Treatment system of
tailings

There are two types of tailings, flotation tailings and cyanidation tailings. The flotation tailings

it has a density of 1.05, a pH that varies from 8.0 to 8.5. The cyanide tailings
it has a density of 1.9 a pH of 12; flowing separately towards the
tailings. The cyanidation tailings show concentrations that range from 48 to 56
mg/L. There are reports that it has reached 900 mg/L, high
concentrations of dissolved metals, such as copper, and high concentration of solids
in suspension. The tailings pond does not form any water mirror, nor does it present
download, since permanent evaporation and infiltration are responsible for drying the
relavera. AURIFERA KORIJAQUI S.A. – ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY
(EIA) FOR REHABILITATION

FROM THE PLANT The mining activity is located in the secondary stream Santa
Rosa, the one belonging to the main drainage system of the Acaville ravine (river
Yauca), district of Sancos, province of Lucanas, department of Ayacucho, at 10
Km from the town of Jaqui (Arequipa). ?? Mining and treatment system

The EIA was carried out to assess the environmental impact of the reopening of
the concentrator plant. In this plant, 70% of fresh ore will be processed.
the informal miners of the high mines, 25% of their tailings and 5% of the
tailings extracted from the mine fill that Golden Mine made in San Luis.
Impacts

The tailings pond has a waterproof cover. The pond

Tailings will receive approximately 7 m3/day of water from the process. Considering

a minimum evaporation of 3 10%, 6.3 m of water must be treated daily to

not impact the environment. There is no suitable area for storage of
flammable, with no adequate reservoir or leak prevention systems.
spills. The possibility of spills or leaks is always present, therefore
the quality of groundwater could be affected.

ORDUZ MINING COMPANY S.A. – ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY (EIA)

María Mining Company Orduz will install a pilot processing plant for the
processing of minerals and amalgamation tailings of the miners
artisanal. The plant will be located in the San Agustín ravine, 30 km away.
Northwest of the district of

Chala, province of Caravelí, Arequipa.

??

Treatment system

The treatment of the ore will be carried out in a closed circuit, starting with the
crushed until the material is reduced to less than ¾”, then it continues to a ball mill

and a repulping machine that allows reaching a density of 1.2 to 1.25 TM/m, then
it moves to the cyanidation and recovery area with activated carbon consisting of
four tanks. ?? Waste disposal

90% of the water will be recovered to prevent underground leaks. The court
the tailings will be located in the San Agustín ravine. ?? Environmental impacts The
environmental impacts will occur according to the progress of the construction of the

plant: For the construction and equipment installation phase, a

affirmed cover, extracting the surface layer of soil and modifying the landscape
natural. Geomorphological transformation due to mineral extraction and
development of mining operations, impacting the stability of the area due to
effect of drilling and blasting on operations. Waste production and
mining waste (tailings, overburden, etc.) Use of chemical reagents
dangerous such as sodium cyanide, caustic soda, etc. Mitigation In the EIA is
they propose some mitigation measures for the impacts: The foundations of the
building where the plant will be installed will be constructed taking into account

considering all safety measures. There will be a medical post to

assist personnel in case of accidents.

The tailings pond will be constructed considering safety criteria and

stability. Hazardous reagents will be handled appropriately. They
will build landfills and septic tanks for wastewater
from the camp.
??

MOLLEHUACA MINING COMMUNITY S.A.–IMPACT STUDY

ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT ASSESSMENT (EIA) INSTALLATION OF THE CYANIDATION PLANT (MARCH

The plant is located in the area of Mollehuaca, 55 km from

Northeast of the city of Chala, 5 km east of the town of Tocota, capital of
Huanuhuanu district, Caravelí province, Arequipa department; at a
average altitude of 1,280 meters above sea level. ?? Processing plant

The acquired mineral is stored in a coarse hopper with a capacity of 20 metric tons.
The plant will allow the processing of 600 tons per month of gold ore, producing
12,734 g of gold. The agitation cyanidation method will be used using
activated carbon (Carbon in Leach–CIL). This method involves dissolving gold.
content in the minerals using cyanide, then recovery is made with
activated carbon, which will be processed in Lima. In the future, it is expected to be refined in

the same plant or in the city of Chala. ?? Disposal of the tailings

The cyanidation tailings will be pumped to the tailing yard, located

to the side of the Concentrator Plant, over an area of 1,650 m². All the
decanted water from the court will be recirculated to the plant, avoiding the possible

soil contamination.
??

Inevitable impacts Emissions of dust or particulate matter during the

construction and commissioning of the plant facilities and the tailings yard.
Modification of the local topography. Emission of noise. MINING GROUP
COMERCIAL S.A. - ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT STUDY HACIENDA OF
GRUMINCO S.A. BENEFIT

The Metallurgical Processing Plant is located in the Ajla area.

Huito, at about 800 meters above sea level, upstream of the Acarí river, district of Saisa, province

of Parinacochas, Ayacucho department. The plant has a capacity of 15

TM/day, will work minerals with low gold content using the carbon method in
leaching (CIL). Tailings facility

It will be built on a plot of 3,150 m², being waterproofed with a layer.

of 10 cm thickness clay to prevent infiltrations. The maximum height of the
The field will be 6 m and its storage capacity for 10 years of operation.
70% of the water used in the grinding and agitation circuits will be recovered.
to recycle it; the rest will become part of the pulp and will be consumed by evaporation.

The water will be obtained from a well 10 m deep, located 10 m from the river.
5.8. MINING ACTIVITY IN THE CERRO VERDE–YARABAMBA AREA
PUQUINA

This area is located in the province and department of Arequipa, it comprises

part of the watershed of the Chili River and tributaries of the upper Tambo River. In this
area is developed for mining exploration and extraction activities. The
deposits
the following minerals are primarily presented: Ulexite, chalcopyrite, pyrrhotite,
pyrite, argentiferous galena, chalcopyrite, etc. These mines extract minerals with
values of copper primarily, lead, silver and gold. The only mining company
The formal entity that develops its activities in this area is the Cerro Mining Society.

Verde (SMCV), exploiting copper minerals. The Adaptation Program and

The Environmental Management Plan (PAMA) of SMCV was reviewed in this study. SOCIETY

CERRO VERDE MINING S.A. - ADAPTATION AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM

ENVIRONMENTAL (PAMA). Cerro Verde Mining Company S.A. develops its
activities in the district of Uchumayo, province of Arequipa, 14 km from the
city of Arequipa, at an average height of 2,700 meters above sea level, with its coordinates

geographical 16° 32' South and 71° 37' West. The area is characterized by being very arid,

with low precipitation levels and an average temperature of 21° C. The area of
the site is not crossed by any permanent watercourse. The
Huayrondo Creek is the main collector of waters that come from the
mining unit. ?? Description of activities

The low-grade porphyritic ore (0.9% Cu) extracted from the Santa Rosa pit is
crushed to 3/8" through primary and secondary crushing operations
tertiary, then being agglomerated. The crushed and agglomerated mineral is
transported in trucks to the leaching piles, where it is leached with acid
sulfuric. The pregnant solution is collected in ponds that are located

in the
bases of the piles, being pumped to the solvent extraction plant and
electrodeposition (SX-EW). An organic solvent is added in order to collect the
diluted copper and the residue or sterile raffinate is recirculated to the heaps of
leaching. ?? Environmental impacts

The operation of the company generates various emissions and discharges in its

different stages. Among these we have: Particulate matter produced by the

roads, crushers, belts, gunshots and cuts. Subsurface leakages
coming from the collection ponds and from Pads 1 and 3. Acid spills
sulfuric acid and oil due to pipe breaks. The leaks from the pads are
conducirán hacia la quebrada Huayrondo y posiblemente hasta el río Chili.
Infiltration of spills due to faults and deteriorated rock. Due to inadequate management.

in the past, in the SX/EW plant gorge (Solvent Extraction and

electrolytic) and surroundings, the soils show concentrations of lead (Pb),
oil and kerosene. The maintenance area shows oil spills,
fats and oils, coming from the repair and washing of heavy machinery.
Water quality

??

The surface water in the Huayrondo ravine infiltrates and evaporates, drying up at
a few kilometers from the mine. The pH of the water varies from 3.8 to 5.0, the
total dissolved solids from 6,270 to 19,330 mg/L, and copper from 9.62 to
23.12 mg/L. From the analyses conducted in the Chili River, it can be stated that there is no

no effect on the quality of its waters.

5.9.
FIELD WORK NASCA–PALPA

The locations were visited that, in the opinion of the residents of Nasca and the MEM (Ing.

José Vidalón presents works on informal-artisanal mining. The places

The following were visited: Mina Sol de Oro: Road to Puquio 12 km away from the
Panamerican Highway. Tulín: La Yapana Gorge. Molinos Town: Gorge
Ingenio. Saramarca: Viscas Ravine, entering through Llipata. Changuillo: Ravine
Ingenio, near the Río Grande. Río Nasca: From Pampa de Los Chinos to the
city of Nasca.

The mining practiced in the areas near Nasca and Palpa is called
artisanal because it is done by a very ancient method, used by the
Residents of the area a long time ago, which consists of the following steps:
Extraction of the ore: The ore is extracted using picks, shovels, and dynamite.
depending on the place. The sinkholes are developed by themselves.
Transport: The mineral is transported by means of trucks or pack animals.
mines to the plants, which most of the time are found very close to the
plants. Grinding: It is the first stage of processing. The extracted mineral is
ground until achieving an appropriate granulation for it to enter the quimbalete.
Quimbalete: The mineral is mixed with water and mercury, being ground along with
mercury to capture the gold particles contained in the ore. This work is
about 15 years ago
20 minutes

for every 33 kilograms of mineral, depending on the type and grade it has. The Hg is
added in half-kilo portions, each time material is added. Torch:
The mercury or loaded amalgam is heated with a torch, vaporizing the
mercury and leaving the gold. The artisanal miners had no type of
education regarding the problems that Hg can bring to their health. They
they handle mercury with their hands without taking any precautions regarding its
toxicity. ?? Cerro Blanco Ravine (Golden Sun)

The mine is abandoned by the company, only the ... could be appreciated.
presence of some informal workers throughout the entire ravine, the
those who worked in the old tasks of the company. The work of the miners
artisanal is characterized by installing their homes and treatment plants
next to the mines. The treatment plants are composed of quimbaletes
and storage ponds for overflow. The groundwater table is found at 8 to
At a depth of 10 meters, there is abundant vegetation in front of the mine.
riverbed. The water from the well is apparently good quality, having a pH
of 6.5, without the presence of suspended solids. The Sol de Oro Mining Company
the mine has not worked for more than 10 years, leaving its pumps for the use of the

farmers who live in the area. La Quebrada Cerro Blanco is the continuation of
the Nasca ravine, where vegetation mainly consisting of
fields of cultivation.

The ravine adjacent to this one is completely dry. The piled mineral more
it is located approximately 500 meters from the river. We were informed that
Between the months of January and March, there is water in the river. ?? Quebrada Nueva

Hope (quiet mine)

Entering through Tulín, on the left is the Nueva Esperanza ravine,

in which an abandoned mine and plant could be found. The plant featured
with quimbaletes and mills apparently in good condition. We were informed that
ascending through the Quebrada Nueva Esperanza is the Mining Company
Pasture and some small informals. This high area does not have water.
superficial and underground, supplying water through trucks that
They carry water in cylinders to the mine. ?? Quebrada Ingenio (mills)

In the Ingenio river, puquios are observed along the ravine. The town of
Molinos receives water from the Surucuña bridge, one year ago, deriving
river water that has water year-round. Previously, they were supplied
from a well. The groundwater in the area is 12 meters deep. Near to
In Molinos, there are several mines such as Huarasaca, Sinchachi, Yanahuarni,
Tunales y Otoca. La población de Molinos vive de la agricultura y trabajo en las
mines that are located near the town.
??

Viscas Ravine (saramarca)

La Quebrada has abundant crops, with its main mining activity.

centralized in Saramarca. The most known mines in the area are: Apacheta,
Screaming,

Apacheta, San Pedro, and Española. The groundwater table is located 9 meters below.

depth and has a pH of 7.66. In the area, many carob trees were observed.
We were informed that there are some mines advancing 10 kilometers ahead.
In Ocoña, there are no mines. Passing through the area known as Saramarca...

find a populated center called Lindero, where there was a plant of

artisanal treatment. This plant is from formal mining, working material for
the company Nuevo Horizonte. This company buys their tailings and mercury from
the workers who work at Lindero. ?? Quebrada Nasca (Changuillo)

The village of Changuillo was visited, and it was reported that there is no artisanal mining.

in this area. There is no mine that is being worked formally or

informally. Back to Nasca, the entire Nasca gorge was skirted, passing
through the towns of La Banda, Vicente, Paredones, Tambo de Perro, Agua
Salada, Majuelo, Cerro Colorado, and Jumana. All this population of farmers
It is supplied with well water and mainly has carob trees.
5.10. FIELD WORK ICA-AYACUCHO-AREQUIPA 01/13/97–01/18/97
(Frank Arana, Neils Alva, and Miguel Wong). Nasca was visited in Ica; Puquio, Cora
Cora, Chumpi, Laguna Parinachochas and Incuyo in Ayacucho; and Cahuacho,
Caravelí, Atico, Chala, and Yauca in Arequipa. Throughout the journey, it was possible to identify

various mining activities and plants, which are listed below: Company.
Minera San Juan de Lucanas: Located in Puquio,
Lucanas, Ayacucho. Southern Mining Investments (IMINSUR): Located in Caravelí,
Arequipa. Achanizo: Chaparra Gorge, Arequipa. Private Investments Kriete:
Quebrada Chaparra, Arequipa. Minera Belén: Quebrada Chala, Caravelí,
Arequipa.

The mining that is practiced in the area is mostly artisanal, consisting of

the following steps: Mineral extraction: The mineral is extracted using
pickaxes, shovels, and dynamite or ANFO depending on the location. The shafts are

developed by themselves. Transport: The mineral is transported by means of

from trucks or pack animals from the mines to the plants, the majority of which
veces se encuentran muy cerca a las plantas. Molienda: Es la primera etapa del
processing. The extracted ore is ground until achieving a granulometry
suitable for entering the quimbalete. Quimbalete: The mineral is treated with
water and mercury, being ground together with the mercury to capture the particles of

gold that contains the mineral. This work is done for approximately 15 to
20 minutes for every 33 kilograms of ore, depending on the type and grade of it.
Take. The Hg is added in half-kilo portions, each time it is added.
material. Torch: The mercury or loaded amalgam is heated with a torch,
vaporizing the mercury and leaving the gold. Fieldwork The fieldwork
consisted of travelling through part of Ica, Ayacucho and Arequipa, with the intention of

check if there are mining activities in the upper part of the basins of

the rivers studied. ?? Lucanas–Ayacucho

In our tour, only the San Juan de Lucanas Mining Company was visited.
which was paralyzed due to legal issues related to the company's possession.
San Juan de Lucanas Mining Company

The mine has been abandoned by the company, only its...

presence of the former workers of the company, who work in a manner
the mine. The company's property is currently in litigation,
there are three current owners. Until this problem is resolved, the
the plant will be abandoned without producing anything. The unit has four courts
from old tailings, which generate dust in the month of August, harming the
the inhabitants of Lucanas. The Yanarumi mine was visited, appreciating a
considerable water discharge coming from inside the mine. Some were measured
in-situ parameters were taken and some samples were collected. The results were the

Download of the Yanarumi mine (M1) San Juan de Lucanas

Parámetros Unidades t° °C pH Potencial redox MV Conductividad Ms/cm Plomo
(Pb) Mg/L Cobre (Cu) Mg/L Zinc (Zn) Mg/L Hierro (Fe) Mg/L Arsénico (As) Mg/L
Dureza total (CaCO3) Mg/L Sólidos totales en suspensión (STS) Mg/L Sulfatos
(SO4=) Mg/L

LMP
1

--6-9 NL NL 0.4 1.0 3.0 2.0 1.0 NL 50 NL

Resultado 21.3 7.96 -58 1.20 0.02 ND 0.07 0.15 ND 610 249.6 405.4

Based on the results obtained, we can affirm that there is no impact of

consideration produced by this download.

Río San José (M2) San Juan de Lucanas Parámetros t° pH Potencial redox
Conductividad Plomo (Pb)

Units °C MV Ms/cm Mg/L

LMP

NL NL NL NL 0.1

Resultado 16.4 8.09 -63 0.10 ND

Cobre(Cu) Zinc(Zn) Hierro(Fe) Arsénico(As) Dureza total(CaCO3) Sólidos totales
in suspension (STS) Sulfates (SO4=)

Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L

0.5 25 NL 0.2 NL NL NL

ND 0.06 1.49 0.02 30.0 199.8 22.4

As can be seen, some metals were not detected and the concentrations
found are below the limits, confirming that the San river
José is not affected by the nearby mining activity. ?? Chaviña–Coracora–
Ayacucho

On the way from Puquio to Chaviña, several abandoned works could be observed.
inclusive with remnants of treatment plants, but completely dismantled.
Abandoned Mine (Chaviña)

Near Chaviña, a small abandoned mine was found, at an altitude

average of 3,939 meters. A small watercourse was found with a
grayish coloration in the background Abandoned mine (M3) Chaviña Parameters t° pH
Redox potential Conductivity Lead (Pb) Copper (Cu) Zinc (Zn) Iron (Fe)
Arsénico (As) Dureza total (CaCO3) Sólidos totales en suspensión (STS) Sulfatos
(SO4=)

Units °C MV µS/cm mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L mg/L

LMP
1

NL NL NL NL 0.1 0.5 25 NL 0.2 NL NL NL

Resultado 6.9 7.35 -21 0.80 ND ND 0.04 0.68 0.02 ------

The nearly neutral pH, low conductivity, the inability to detect some metals and the

concentrations of others below the MCLs, indicates that the water

Sampled is of good quality. ?? High zone road to Chaviña

A spring or well was found with a greenish color at the bottom.

Water spring near Cora-Cora (M4) Parameters t° pH Redox potential
Conductividad Plomo (Pb) Cobre(Cu) Zinc(Zn) Unidades °C MV Ms/cm Mg/L Mg/L
Mg/L LMP
1

NL NL NL NL 0.1 0.5 25

Resultado 12.3 6.93 2 0.6 ND ND 0.02

Hierro(Fe) Arsénico(As) Dureza total(CaCO3) Sólidos totales en suspensión(STS)
Sulfates (SO4=)

Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L

NL 0.2 NL NL NL

0.47 ND ----

As in the previous case, some metals are not detected and others showed
very low concentrations. The pH is nearly neutral and the conductivity is low. In the
There is no mining activity on the road from Coracora to Incuyo. Passing through

In the Parinocochas plain, it could be observed that the entire area is covered by
puna vegetation. No mining activity was observed. ?? Caravelí–
Arequipa

La ciudad de Caravelí muestra mayor actividad minera, debido principalmente a la

IMINSUR's plant and mine and the continuous traffic of trucks loaded with mineral and
tailings that are transported from Eugenia mines to the Belén plant in Chala.
Southern Mining Investments (MINSUR)

The company operates the Ishihuinca mine near Caravelí and processes the ore in the
plant located on the outskirts of the city of Caravelí. The plant operates for the
cyanidation process. The tailings pond of

the plant is approximately 200 x 100 x 10m. The area is characterized by being
desert. The nearest water course is the Caravelí River, which is located 400
metros. During our visit, the river had a flow rate of 5 L/s. Caravelí River (M5)
Parámetros t° pH Potencial redox Conductividad Plomo (Pb) Cobre(Cu) Zinc(Zn)
Hierro(Fe) Arsénico(As) Dureza total(CaCO3) Sólidos totales en suspensión(STS)
Sulfates (SO4=) Units °C MV µS/cm Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L
Mg/L LMP
1

NL NL NL NL 0.1 0.5 25 NL 0.2 NL NL NL

Resultado 21.4 7.14 -11 1.40 0.03 ND 0.02 1.02 ND 520 241.4 281.7

The nearly neutral pH, moderate conductivity, and the concentrations of the
parameters analyzed below the LMP's; we are informed that the quality of
The water from the Caravelí River in this sector is good. ?? Caravelí–Atico (Quebrada de

Attic)

From Caravelí to Atico, the road that borders the gorge of the river was traveled.
Attic and Dry. We were informed that this path leads to the Calpa mine.
considerable mining activity. ?? Cháparra–Arequipa

We were informed that there was permanent water 30 years ago, with
presence of river shrimp.
In this area, artisanal mining is very active. ?? Achanizo

This settlement of artisanal miners sells its tailings to the Chala plant.
miners from this town amalgamate with mercury and pour their tailings into
deposits to dry and be sold. ?? Private Investments Kriete
(Triple K Plan)

The plant is installed.

in the Cháparra ravine. The installed and operational capacity is 15 tons/day.

processing minerals and tailings with gold content. The treatment system that
the method used is cyanidation with recovery using activated carbon. It is composed of
through a hopper, a ball mill, and three cyanidation tanks. The harvest of
Material is made in Lima. The results are as follows: Quebrada Cháparra
(M6) Parámetros t° pH Potencial redox Conductividad Plomo (Pb) Cobre (Cu) Zinc
(Zn) Hierro (Fe) Arsénico (As) Dureza total (CaCO3) Sólidos totales en suspensión
(STS) Sulfatos (SO4=) Mercurio (Hg) Unidades °C MV Ms/cm Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L
Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L Mg/L LMP
1

NL NL NL NL 0.1 0.5 25 NL 0.2 NL NL NL NL

Resultado 27.2 8.46 -88 0.90 ND 0.01 0.03 0.48 ND ------ND

The slightly alkaline pH is characteristic of well water. Some metals do not

they were detected and the others were found well below the LIMP's,
verifying the good quality of the water. ?? Minera Belén

The plant is located in the Chala ravine. The capacity of the plant is
100 TM/day. The treatment system is by amalgamation and cyanidation with
carbon in pulp. This plant processes tailings and minerals from the
mines Eugenia, Bonanza, Pastora and other nearby. 300 kg/day is used.
sodium cyanide (NaCN) and 100 kg/day of sodium hydroxide (Na OH). The tailings
The one that the company has measures 150x50x15m, accumulated over 7 years.
Quequeña River

The sample

water has low levels of dissolved metals compared to others

water samples in this and other basins and could meet the criteria for
domestic consumption and irrigation waters for the analyzed parameters.
??

Yarabamba River

The water chemistry data does not indicate any significant source of
contamination or any severe risk of acid drainage. However, it is
It is evident that there is a net increase in copper concentrations and
arsenic along the river. ?? Chili River

The analysis of two water samples from this river indicates that this water
they meet the criteria for domestic consumption and irrigation but would not be suitable

for the preservation of aquatic fauna. There are no parameters presented

significantly elevated and indicate greater sources of dissolved metals and
acid.