Unconstitutional Lithium Mining In Argentina!
by Mike Angenent
Affecting ecological mercury free goldmining communities!
Eco Andina, one of the projects that is working towards Jeweltree Certification on small scale gold mining, is located close to Jujuy in the Puna of Argentina. The area is known for its ecological and mercury free gold mining and just across the border there are silver tailings from the old Bolivian silver mines for which a rehabilitation program was set up by Eco Andina.
As to today the area is one of the only providers of community mined ecological and mercury free gold and fair traded silver!
The area also holds vast lithium resources. Lithium being the main ingredient for our cell phone battery consumption.
(Location of the mine)
Advisor of the Jeweltree Foundation board and member of their management team, Thomas Siepelmeyer, has recently brought to our attention to an important development. Thomas is an accredited auditor and a competent person according to National Instrument NI 43-101 for mineral resources classification (Canada). He is able to document reports on mineral reserves and resources in the valuation of mining companies quoted on the Stock Exchanges. He was asked to review a report about a company that wished to proceed with Lithium mining in the Jujuy province, close the area where eco gold mining was taking place and other lithium exploration sites in the south of the Puna; Salar Cauchari and Salar Olaroz (salt pans).
Mr. Siepelmeyer’s made an excellent comprehensive hydrological and hydrogeological study plus an environmental aspect report that turned out negatively for the company that wished to proceed with the lithium mining.
If they wished to proceed, Mr. Siepelmeyer told us, they had to make certain changes in their mining program. They refused to make these changes.
The company (Lithium Americas (TSE:LAC) ) however managed to find another auditor who was a bit more flexible in their review of their mining operations. The result is that Lithium Americas now has an approved environmental aspect report that totally neglects the communities rights and will have a devastating effect on the environment they live in.
(Children at the mine site)
The local communities turned to the UN for help as their constitutional right to their land is denied and they were not consulted in the case.
To do something about this you can sign our petition and if you please you can also make a donation (all proceedings will go to the affected communities).
Sign the petition:
http://www.jeweltreefoundation.org/act-now.htm
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FJA is a forum open to a diversity of opinions in support of its mission. Any editorial expressed in this article represents the opinion of the author, and not necessarily the views of Fair Jewelry Action members.
