Abstract
Mercury and gold mining in Colombia: a failed state
Highlights
Gold mining has generated controversy in recent years due to its impact on the environment and on human health (Ali 2006)
This article is the result of an investigation supported by the Colombian Ombudsman’s Office, during its execution we accessed information provided by municipal mayoral offices and national mining authorities regarding a line of research focused on mining conflicts in Colombia
Mining and environmental informality and illegality: According to the census of mining activities conducted in 2011, there are 4,134 gold mines in Colombia; 550 of these mines have the appropriate mining titles and 3,584 do not. This means that 87% of gold mining in Colombia is illegal or, according to Colombian mining laws, lack the corresponding mining title duly registered with the National Mining Registry
Summary
Gold mining has generated controversy in recent years due to its impact on the environment and on human health (Ali 2006). Gold production in Colombia has increased by over 300% since 2006; its production ranks fifth in Latin America, exceeding Chile’s production but still below that of Peru, Mexico, Argentina and Brazil (British Geological Survey 2012). The country produces about 54,000 kilograms of gold a year, mainly in the departments of Chocó (24.500kg), Antioquia (19.000kg) and Bolivar (5.700kg), this represents 91% of the annual gold production in Colombia. The country’s annual production is expected to increase significantly with the discovery of new mining areas in the Serrania de San Lucas (Bolivar). This region covers over 1.5 million hectares and is considered “the largest gold mine in Latin America”. Areas in Colosa, located in the municipality of Cajamarca (Tolima), considered among the seven largest gold mines in the world (Idárraga et al 2010)
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