Mining and the Environment in Argentina: Analysis of controversial cases

AVILA JULIO

Environmental Issues and Waste Management in Energy and Mineral Production 2007

Reading Matrix

Lugar: Irvine; Año: 2007; p. 45 - 51

Abstract The mining industry in Argentina has had a great development in the last decade. This statement is evidenced in all the stages of the mining activity from prospecting, meters of drillings, development of mines, production, number of workers to the values of export of the mining production. But not all are good news in this strong industry. Some years ago controversies have arisen among mining companies, communities, environmentalists groups and the government in their different levels that have delayed and also prohibited the development of important mining projects. The environmental protection of the mining activity is established by the national Mining Code from one decade ago. Nevertheless, as Argentina is a federal country, each provincial state can establish laws that limit the mining activity. For example, restrictions in the use of water resources, in the use of cyanide and open cast mines. In this paper several controversial cases are analyzed and is meditated on possible solutions to the outlined conflicts.