Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Peru asks UN for help with Southern Copper project


Peru has a UN agency asked to reduce the impact on the environment for Southern Copper, Tia Maria mine evaluation, as opponents concerned about the recent rally, water resources project by the persistent protests in the Andean country to fight.

Mines and Energy Minister Pedro Sanchez said the UNOPS office, working to promote peace and development to improve the quality of planning and evaluation of the project.

He said that the evaluation be carried out the study by the company and UNOPS would be completed in January to participate in complex projects with other miners planned work.

Peruvians, the $1 billion South copper project for a half day rally on Tuesday after protesters smashed windows rock-throwing and a bus on fire on Monday near Islay, against 620 miles (1,000 km) south of Lima, the capital.

At least a thousand police were deployed to prevent demonstrators blocked a portion of the Pan-American Highway.

Peru has attracted billions of dollars of foreign investment in mining and oil sector, but more than a hundred cities nationwide have expressed opposition to new projects.

Violence broke out again last year and President Alan Garcia was forced to put his entire cabinet after three dozen people died in the Amazon region in a dispute over an oil law to encourage projects in the tribal fire. It was the worst internal political crisis of his tenure.

After an earlier round of shrill protests from farmers this year, said Lima-based Southern Copper would a desalination plant with sea water planters, Tia Maria project, which would up its supply of fresh water to build appease said fed.

Since then at least two local groups have taken different positions about the project - say one that I could be built if it is carefully planned and another said it would cause pollution.

The mining ministry said some church leaders boycotted and resolve to settle the relentless efforts of the working groups, their differences with the company.

The project was put on hold in late April for 90 days while the government and local authorities are working on an environmental impact assessment.

Peru is the world's second-largest copper miner, after neighboring Chile and is often rattled by a dispute concerning the mining and oil projects.

Southern Copper is a unit of Grupo Mexico and one of the world's largest copper producer.