Mining in Peru
By Lisa Algee
What is mining?
Mining is the extraction (removal) of minerals and metals from earth. Manganese, tantalum, cassiterite,
copper, tin, nickel, bauxite (aluminum ore), iron ore, gold, silver, and diamonds are just some examples of
what is mined.
Why mine?
Mining is a money making business. Not only do mining companies prosper, but governments also make
money from revenues. Workers also receive income and benefits.
Mining in Peru. Photos by Rhett Butler
What are the minerals and metals used for?
Minerals and metals are very valuable commodities. For example, manganese is a key component of
low-cost stainless steel. It is also used to de-color glass (removing greenish hues), but in higher
concentrations, it actually makes lavender-colored glass. Tantalum is used in cell phones, pagers, and
lap-tops. Cooper and tin are used to make pipes, cookware, etc. And gold, silver, and diamonds are
used to make jewelry.
Large scale mining versus small scale mining:
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Large scale mining usually involves a company with many employees. The company mines at
one or two large sites and usually stays until the mineral or metal is completely excavated. An
example of a large scale mine is the Serra Pelada mine in Brazil which yielded 29,000 tons of
gold from 1980 to 1986 and employed 50,000 workers (Kricher, 1997).
Small scale mining usually involves a small group of nomadic men. They travel together and
look for sites which they think will yield gold or another valuable metal or mineral. Small scale
mining occurs in places such as Suriname, Guyana, Central Africa, and many other places
around the world. Some researchers believe that small scale mining is more harmful to the
environment and causes more social problems than large scale mining. This will become
apparent later in the lesson.
How does mining affect the environment?
Mining is generally very destructive to the environment. It is one of the main causes of deforestation. In
order to mine, trees and vegetation are cleared and burned. With the ground completely bare, large
scale mining operations use huge bulldozers and excavators to extract the metals and minerals from the
soil. In order to amalgamate (cluster) the extractions, they use chemicals such as cyanide, mercury, or
methylmercury. These chemicals go through tailings (pipes) and are often discharged into rivers,
streams, bays, and oceans. This pollution contaminates all living organisms within the body of water and
ultimately the people who depend on the fish for their main source of protein and their economic
livelihood.
Mining in the Peruvian Amazon.
Small scale mining is equally devastating to the environment, if not more. Groups of 5-6 men migrate
from one mining site to another in search of precious metals, usually gold. There are two types of small
scale mining: land dredging and river dredging:
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Land dredging involves miners using a generator to dig a large hole in the ground. They use a
high pressure hose to expose the gold-bearing layer of sand and clay. The gold bearing slurry is
pumped into a sluice box, which collects gold particles, while mine tailings flow into either an
abandoned mining pit or adjacent forest. When the mining pits fill with water from the tailings,
they become stagnant water pools. These pools create a breeding ground for mosquitoes and
other water-born insects. Malaria and other water-born diseases increase significantly whenever
open pools of water are nearby.
River dredging involves moving along a river on a platform or boat. The miners use a hydraulic
suction hose and suction the gravel and mud as they move along the river. The gravel, mud, and
rocks go through the tailings (pipes) and any gold fragments are collected on felt mats. The
remaining gravel, mud, and rocks go back into the river, but in a different location than where it
was originally suctioned. This creates problems for the river. The displaced gravel and mud
disrupt the natural flow of the river. Fish and other living organisms often die and fishermen can
no longer navigate in the obstructed rivers.
How does mining affect the people?
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The people who are exposed to the toxic waste from the tailings become sick. They develop skin
rashes, headaches, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. In fact, the symptoms of mercury poisoning are very
similar to the symptoms of malaria. Many people who can not afford to go to a doctor, or who live
in a village where a doctor is not accessible, are often not treated for their illnesses.
If the water is contaminated, the people can not use it for bathing, cooking, or washing their
clothes.
If the man of the household is a small scale miner, he often leaves his wife and children in search
of work. This means that the wife and children must work and provide for themselves. They
must also protect themselves from thieves.
Theft, drugs/alcohol, prostitution, rape, and sexual abuse are unfortunately some of the effects of
mining.
Cultural degradation also occurs in mining villages. For example, mining often destroys sacred
sites and cemeteries. In Guyana, a special fishing event called Haiari Fishing unfortunately can
not take place if the river has been dredged for gold. Remember, the displacement of the gravel
and mud obstruct the natural flow of the river. As a result, fish and other organisms die.
Mining road in Indonesia.
Where does mining occur?
Mining occurs in many places around the world, including the U.S. In South America, mining is
particularly active in the Amazonia region, Guyana, Suriname, and other South American countries. In
Central Africa, mining devastated a National Park called Kahuzi-Biega in the eastern Democratic
Republic of Congo (DRC). South Africa is also very well known for mining diamonds. Mining also occurs
in Indonesia and other S.E. Asian countries.
Three case studies: Guyana, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), and Indonesia:
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In Guyana, both large and small scale mining occur. In the early 1980's, the price of gold spiked
from $100-$150 per ounce to $700 per ounce! This created huge incentives for governments to
allow mining companies to come into their countries. Omai mining company established an
11,000 acre site in the middle of Guyana. From 1986 to 2001, this company excavated 3/4 of all
the gold in Guyana. Not only was the mining company making huge sums of money, but the
Guyana government was also benefiting from the revenues; owning 5% of the companies
shares. However, in 1995 the tailings dam, which was filled with three million cubic meters of
cyanide waste, collapsed and spilled into the Essequibo River, the biggest river in Guyana. The
toxic waste drained north- exposing 10,000 people (both residents and eco-tourists). All of the
fish in the river died, and although no one died from the toxic exposure, many people developed
skin rashes and respiratory problems. In addition to large scale mining, small scale mining is very
popular in Guyana. Miners apply for permits from the government and mine at sites where the
residents do not have official land titles. This makes residents who never received official land
titles from the government very vulnerable to both the detrimental environmental and social
effects of mining. As mentioned previously, small and middle scale mining is often worse than
large scale mining because of the area covered. For example, Omai (a large scale mining
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company) mined 11,000 acres, whereas small scale miners mined 234,000 acres, and middle
scale miners mined 2 million acres! That's a lot of degradation that both small and middle
scale miners can cause!
In the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) the Kahuzi-Biega National Park was designated a
World Heritage Site in 1980 because of its rich bio-diversity in both plants and animals. In fact,
86% of the Grauer's gorilla, a subspecies which is endemic to this region, was found in this
park. However, all that has changed. In the late 1990's, armed factions involved in the civil war
set up mining operations within the boundaries of the park to extract valuable minerals such as
tantalum and cassiterite. Thousands of Congolese whose lives had been devastated by the war
subsequently flooded to the mines in search of a quick buck (Furniss, 2005). An estimated
15,000 people were thought to be working at about a hundred sites throughout the
park. Tragically, not only were tantalum and cassiterite extracted, but also trees, vegetation, and
large mammals. The miners hired hunters to feed the people working at the mining
sites. Gorillas, elephants, chimpanzees, buffaloes and antelope at first were easily found within
proximity to the park. But, as the months passed, it became increasingly more difficult to find
large mammals. Hunters searched longer and farther. By March of 2001, most of the large
animals had all been killed. The Grauer's gorilla suffered the most, since this unique gorilla subspecies is only found in this area. Before the mining, the total population was estimated to be
17,000- with 86% living in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park. Now, it is estimated that only 2-3,000
Grauer's gorillas remain. According to Ian Redmond, the chairman of the Ape Alliance, "If these
numbers are confirmed, it would be catastrophic for the subspecies." He also states that
the remaining Grauer's gorilla population is fragmented which makes them more vulnerable to
poaching and inbreeding. The fate of this sub-species is unknown at this time.
In Indonesia, a U.S. mining company based in Denver (Newmont) has been extracting gold since
1996. This company no longer mines in this region for two reasons: (1) in 2004, they extracted all
the gold, and (2) the company is currently being sued by the Indonesian government for
intentionally dumping poisonous waste, such as arsenic and mercury, into the Buyat Bay. This
waste has poisoned the fish in the bay. This was, sadly, their main source of protein and
economic livelihood. In addition, many people in this region have complained of headaches,
breathing difficulty, and skin rashes and tumors. One newborn was born with birth defects and
died at the age of 3 months. The company has denied any wrong doing and blames these
symptoms and incidents on poor sanitation and nutrition!
What can we do as global citizens to curb the effects of mining?
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Make companies who exploit developing countries accountable for their actions.
Boycott products produced by companies who do not mine is environmentally responsible ways.
Start talking. Tell your family members, friends, teachers, and members in your community about
the effects of mining and how jewelry made for gold, silver, and diamonds can be substituted for
other metals which are mined in responsible ways.
Write letters to governments who do not properly compensate people who have been affected by
pollution from mining companies.
Spread awareness of this issue by sharing your knowledge. This is how change occurs. Here's
a great quote to keep in mind,
Mining in Peru.
"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world. Indeed, it
is the only thing that ever has."
-Margaret Mead
Now, show yourself what you've learned in this lesson my answering these questions:
1. Name two minerals or metals that are mined.
2. Choose the correct answer: Extraction means the (addition/removal) of minerals or metals from
earth's soil.
3. What's the difference between large scale mining and small scale mining?
4. Why is mining destructive to the environment?
5. Fill in the blanks: One of the environmental effects of land dredging is stagnant ________
pools. These pools attract __________. People who live near these pools have a greater
chance of getting ____________.
6. T or F River dredging is a type of small scale mining. This type of mining affects the natural flow
of the river. Fish and other living organisms often die in these obstructed rivers. This also affects
the fishermen's livelihood.
7. Name two effects of mining on the people.
8. T or F The Omai mining company's tailings dam collapsed in 1995.
9. Before mining occured in the Kahuzi-Biega National Park, what percentage of Grauer's gorillas
lived there?
10. Now that mining has devastated this National Park, how many Grauer's gorillas are estimated to
exist currently? What does this mean to this sub-species of gorilla?
Mining in Peru.
Answers are located after the references.
Pen Pal Conversation: After reading about the case studies, what do you think about both large and
small scale mining? Do you think that governments have a responsibility to protect their environment and
indigenous people from being exploited by mining companies? What role do you think the government
has in regulating both small and medium scale miners?
References:
Kricher, J. (1997). A Neotropical Companion: An introduction to the animals, plants, & ecosystems of the
New World Tropics. New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
Peterson, G. D., & Heemskerk, M. (2001) Deforestation and forest regeneration following small-scale
gold mining in the Amazon: The case of Suriname. Environmental Conservation 28(2): 117-126.
Furniss, C. (2005) Seizing the moment: The Great Apes Survival Project. Africa Geographic, July issue:
41-51.
www.africageographic.com
Lecture notes from ENVS 80 A: Logan Hennessy
Answers to questions:
1. Manganese and gold
2. removal
3. Large scale mining involves a large company with many workers. These are also localized at one
or two sites. Small scale mining involves a group of traveling men, usually about 5-8, who
migrate from one mining site to another. This type of mining tends to be more destructive to the
environment because of the area of land covered. It also causes more social problems because
small scale miners mine where residents do not have official land titles. Tension and resentment
builds and causes many social quarrels and unfortunate effects to the indigenous people.
4. Trees and vegetation are cleared and burned. Natural minerals and metals are stripped from the
soil. Chemicals used to amalgamate (cluster) the gold are often expelled into rivers, streams,
and oceans causing pollution to the environment, animals, and people.
5. water, mosquitoes, malaria
6. T
7. Illnesses from contaminated water and cultural degradation
8. T
9. 86%
10. 2-3,000. This could be catastrophic to this species. They are more vulnerable to poaching and
inbreeding.
How did you do? I bet you did TERRIFIC!
The following standards were covered in this lesson:
Reading: 1.5 Demonstrate knowledge of levels of specificity among grade-appropriate words and
explain the importance of these relations.
Reading comprehension: Demonstrating comprehension by identifying answers in the text (lesson).
Social Studies: 3.12 Trace the ways in which people have used the resources of the local region and
modified the physical environment.
Life Science: 3 (c) Students know living things cause changes in the environment in which they live:
some of these changes are detrimental to the organism or other organisms, and some are beneficial.
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