The
Ministry of Energy and Mines (Minem),
the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA), and the
Peruvian International Cooperation Agency (APCI) have signed an agreement for the implementation of the project "Improvement of Mine Closure Procedures and Remediation of Mining Environmental Liabilities for the Fulfillment of the Sustainable Development Goals."
Inked on June 25, the agreement is expected to be carried out until December 2025, with a US$6.4 million contribution from the Korean Government.
This project aims to enhance the resilience of the environment to manage mining activities and potential impacts of mining by building technical capacity and awareness of the general public.
As part of the project, activities will be carried out to strengthen technical capacities in the area of remediation of mining environmental liabilities (PAM, for its acronym in Spanish), through the transfer of technology to Minem, by implementing pilot plants that allow to conduct research and development testing on the application of passive, active and/or mixed acid water treatments.
Likewise, work will be done to strengthen the information systems related to the Mine Closure Plan (PCM, for its acronym in Spanish) through the implementation of a computer system that will allow Minem to digitally manage the PCM, as well as to articulate and collaborate with other entities involved in the management of mine closure plans.
Additionally, during the project, the technical capacities of mining sector officials in Peru will be strengthened through training in Korea and Peru, as well as the development of conferences and workshops to ensure the effectiveness and sustainability of related activities.
Finally, it is expected to raise and strengthen public awareness regarding mining environmental liabilities and mining activities in Peru, as well as to disseminate the environmental remediation activities carried out by the Peruvian Government and activities in cooperation with the Korean Government.
Considering the importance of this project, the Ministry of Energy and Mines —through its focal points of the General Directorate of Mining and the General Directorate of Mining Environmental Affairs— has worked in close coordination with a team of professionals from Korea, from the initial stage of the research planned by
KOICA, to support project activities and the implementation of the project.
Mining Director General Alfredo Rodriguez expressed the Ministry's commitment to work actively in support of the project during the closing meeting of the research carried out by Korean experts.
Jung-wook Lee, director of the KOICA office in Peru, referred to the Korean Government's cooperation over public health in Peru.
"KOICA hopes to contribute to the management of Minem by transferring technologies of remediation of environmental liabilities, recognizing that it is an issue of great importance for the Peruvian State and the communities in areas surrounding mining units," he said.
"In this sense, taking advantage of the knowledge and experience that Korea has on the matter, we want to support Peru by providing tools that allow testing and determining the best way to work to reduce mining environmental liabilities," he added.
KOICA is the representative agency of the Korean Government for development cooperation. Since its establishment in Peru in 2000, KOICA has contributed more than US$127 million implementing more than 25 projects in public health, public administration, digitalization, environment, and others.
(END) NDP/JCB/MAO/RMB
Publicado: 30/6/2021