The
Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem) has extended for one year the suspension of the acceptance of mining petitions in the Seven Color Mountain area, located in the districts of Cusipata (Quispicanchi province) and Pitumarca (Canchis province) in the Andean region of Cusco.
In the recitals of the regulation, Minem stressed the need to continue taking the technical and legal actions required for the conservation of the Rainbow Mountain area, in order to ensure its preservation.
The area over which mining petitions will not be accepted is delimited by the following UTM-WGS 84 coordinates: Vertex 1: 8 466 626.27 (North), 251 809.75 (East); Vertex 2: 8 464 626.24 (North), 251 809.77 (East); Vertex 3: 8 464 626.23 (North), 249 809.75 (East); and Vertex 4: 8 466 626.27 (North), 249 809.73 (East).
In 2018, a number of complaints were made against mining concessions granted by the Peruvian State on protected natural areas and emblematic landscapes, which were canceled so that the
National Service for Natural Areas Protected by the State (Sernanp) can make the request to raise the Rainbow Mountain to the Regional Conservation Area category.
Peru's Winikunka (Quechua word for Seven Color Mountain or Rainbow Mountain) was located in the RED BEDS 2 mining concession area, but Minquest Peru —a mining company owned by Canadian Camino Minerals— gave up the concession of said area to promote the preservation of the tourist site, which also generates significant income for local communities.
(END) CNA/JJN/RMB/MVB
Published: 11/24/2022