Ayabaca Communities Will Create Community Consultation

PERU

Ayabaca Communities Will Create Community Consultation

Piura, Peru. (FACTORTIERRA)

10th January 2007

Local leaders of communities of the district of Ayabaca have informed FACTORTIERRA that they are seeking to organize a community consultation with the goal of showing that the gold mining project Rio Blanco lacks social license to operate. The decision was taken this past December 23 and ratified on January 6, by the campesino defense patrols who met in the town of Hualvuiv, some 35 kilometers southeast of Ayabaca.

Monterrico Metals has announced plans to initiate operations in 2008. The company has initiated a program of information with coastal communities where a mineral pipeline will be constructed to transport the minerals extracted from the mining region to the port, which could be in Bayovar, in the extreme southwest of Piura. The project has the support of the regional government of Piura, in whose territory live more than 1.6 million persons.

On his part, the President of Peru, Alan Garcia met with Andrew Brisotw, Manager of Operations of Minera Majaz (Monterrico subsidiary), during his recent visit to the region of Piura.