Colombia: Zijin's Buriticá gold mine sparks ongoing tensions over security, environmental impacts and community relations
Ernst Udo Drawert/Diálogo Chino
Zijin's Buriticá project, located 100 kilometers from Medellín, marks the first Chinese-operated gold mine in Colombia. After acquiring Continental Gold in March 2020, Zijin Mining's operations have become a focal point of local tensions. The project has become a focal point of tensions between different stakeholders, including the company, local communities, and traditional miners who have worked in the area for generations.
While Zijin promotes formal employment and economic development through the project, conflicts have emerged with local ancestral miners who seek recognition of their traditional mining rights and formalization of their activities. These tensions escalated in 2023-2024, leading to protests, security incidents, and ultimately an international arbitration case filed by Zijin against the Colombian government over security concerns. The disputes affect not only the company's operations but also impact Buriticá's 10,000 residents and hundreds of local mining families whose livelihoods depend on access to the area's gold resources.