“OEFA upbraids gold miner and is itself attacked” – 1 October 2017

The work of the body responsible for supervising and penalising environmental damage, OEFA (Organismo de Evaluación y Fiscalización Ambiental), is painstaking and its results often frustrating…On 22 September, the Constitutional Tribunal ruled in favour of a mining company, Perubar, which had complained about the system by which OEFA funds itself from the companies it supervises. The case threatens to undermine OEFA’s future activities…At the same time, the example of…a company called Auntani SAC, is accused of causing contamination of the Coralaque river, a water course that flows into the Tambo River downstream…OEFA carried out an inspection of the mining operation in June, following complaints from locals that the river had turned a yellowy-brown colour. The OEFA detected 14 sources of acidic water leaching out into the river system. It issued its findings in a document published on 25 September, arguing that the company had failed to maintain adequately systems for treatment of contaminated waste from the mine. The company denies such negligence…