Gov’t Confirms Informal Miner Trapped In New Cave-In

An informal miner in Peru’s southern Ayacucho region has been trapped underground, the government confirmed, in another case that highlights the dangers of wildcat mining in the Andean country. The Mines and Energy Ministry confirmed that the miner, Medardo Gutierrez, was trapped when there was a cave-in at the informal Luicho mine, in the district [...]

Peru Miners Rescued Unharmed in Ica

The nine miners who had been trapped 250 meters underground for six days began to emerge from the Cabeza de Negro mine shaft just before 7am Wednesday, helped by rescue teams and welcomed by President Humala at the entry to the mine shaft. The rescue was expected to be completed late Tuesday , but a large [...]

Peru Sets Prison Sentence Guidelines for Illegal Mining

The Executive, in a move to bring widespread informal mining under control, has incorporated the activity into the Criminal Code and set sentence guidelines for convictions on charges of undertaking unauthorized exploration, extraction and development of mineral resources, and causing damage to the environment through such activities. D.L. 1102, published Feb. 29 in the official gazette [...]

Cuzco, Madre de Dios and Arequipa lead human trafficking cases

Peru’s southern regions of Cusco, Madre de Dios and Arequipa have had the highest number of human trafficking cases so far this year, CNR news service reported, citing the Health ministry. So far this year, the ministry has rescued 229 people who were victims of human trafficking, the report says. Cusco had the most cases with 35, [...]

Illegal gold dredgers impounded on the Marañon River

The coast guard service based in Yurimaguas on the Huallaga River impounded three industrial dredges on the Marañon River this past week, in the department of Loreto in northeastern Peru, during an operation to eradicate illegal gold mining operations. None of the industrial-sized dredges, at different points along the river near Saramiriza, had the required [...]

Environment Ministry to take emergency measures to reduce heavy-metal and mining contamination in Amazon region

Emergency measures to reduce heavy-metal contamination in Peru’s Mantaro River basin and pollution caused by informal mining in the Amazon’s Madre de Dios region are soon to be implemented, said Environment Minister Antonio Brack Egg on Sunday.