"OEFA Study Links Antapaccay’s Mining Operations to Environmental Damage", 20 November 2023

...The Environmental Assessment and Enforcement Agency (OEFA) has found a significant link between the mining operations of Antapaccay, a subsidiary of Glencore, and environmental damage in the province of Espinar, Cusco. The agency’s reports...indicate that 13 neighboring communities are exposed to heavy metals, including mercury, in amounts exceeding permissible limits.

Conducted between 2022 and 2023, the study analyzed air, water, flora, fauna, and domestic animals across the 38 localities of the Espinar province...The study found that emissions of PM10 particulate matter from the mine have repeatedly breached environmental quality standards. The communities of Alto Huarca, Alto Aira Ccollana, and Huinipampa in the Katahuitaña area are identified as the most affected.

...High concentrations of heavy metals in Andean grass and plant tissue were detected, along with the presence of these elements in local wildlife. Domestic animals are also affected, as an increase in soil salinity and heavy metal concentrations in their diet surpass tolerable levels.

In response to the OEFA’s findings, Antapaccay contends that the contamination stems from natural mineralization processes, not mining activities. The company also criticized the OEFA’s methodology, asserting that air quality samples were improperly collected within the operation rather than outside, as protocols stipulate. Despite these contentions, Antapaccay continues to expand towards the Coroccohuayco area in Espinar, raising concerns about the rights of the Quechua and K’ana indigenous communities...