Peru: Yanacocha-02/Cajamarca

Date Filed
01 Mar 2001
Status
Closed
Phase
Dispute Resolution (DR)
Country
Peru

Case Tracker

Eligibility
Eligibility
Assessment
Assessment
Dispute Resolution
Dispute Resolution
Monitoring
Closed
Closed
Compliance
CURRENT Status
Closed(DISPUTE RESOLUTION)
Closed

Complaint Overview

Complainant

Federation of Rondas Campesinas

Cross-Cutting Issues
Risk Management Resource Efficiency Community Health and Safety

Project Information

Region
Latin America & the Caribbean
Institution
IFC
Name & Number
Yanacocha III 4449
Company
Minera Yanacocha S.A.
Sector
Mining, Oil, Gas and Chemicals
Department
Other
Category
A
Commitment

$20 million (A Loan) & $40 million (B Loan)

Synopsis

Complaint

The Yanacocha Gold Mine began operations in the department of Cajamarca in 1993. Yanacocha, the largest gold mine in South America, comprised of six open pit mines, four leach pads and three processing facilities. In June 2000, a contractor to Minera Yanacocha spilled 151 kg of elemental mercury along a 41 km stretch of road between the mine site and the town of Choropampa. A number of local people, unaware of the nature of the chemical, were exposed and subsequently experienced adverse health effects. In July 2000, CAO oversaw an independent investigation into the spill, which found there were significant discrepancies in the company’s waste management and emergency procedures.

In March 2001, the Federation of Rondas Campesinas lodged a complaint with CAO on behalf of local farming communities experiencing adverse social and environmental impacts as a result of mining activities.

Action

Community-mine conflicts intensified subsequent to the mercury spill and communities expressed a number of other concerns such as a lack of consultation with affected individuals and failure to distribute mining benefits in an equitable fashion. In recognition of widespread, local demand for a comprehensive approach to addressing the conflict, CAO supported the creation of a multi-stakeholder dialogue roundtable in September 2001. For four and a half years, the Mesa de Dialogo y Consenso (Mesa) sought to create an open forum for dialogue to help prevent and resolve conflict between the communities and Yanacocha. With the participation of over 50 public and private institutions, the Mesa facilitated conflict meditation training, undertook capacity building workshops for community members and mine staff, oversaw an independent participatory water impact study and subsequently led a participatory water monitoring program. These efforts promoted dialogue, transparency and public understanding, which attracted positive recognition from a variety of community, company and government participants. In February 2005, CAO commissioned an independent evaluation of the Mesa, which was completed in May 2005.

Status

Since the Mesa was established in 2001, CAO has sought ways for the Mesa to become a fully Cajamarcan entity. Therefore, CAO concluded its phased withdrawal and the complaint was closed in March 2006. In June 2007, CAO published a series of monographs synthesizing the history, challenges, and lessons learned from its involvement in Cajamarca.

Case Documents

  • Dispute Resolution

    Assessment Report(s)
    Evaluation of Water Quality in Cajamarca
    Dec 01, 2005
    English, Spanish
    Evaluation of Water Quality in Cajamarca
    Annual Monitoring Report Summary
    Feb 06, 2006
    English, Spanish
    Annual Monitoring Report Summary
    Evaluacion de la calidad del agua en Cajamarca
    Dec 01, 2005
    Spanish
    Evaluacion de la calidad del agua en Cajamarca
    Report of the Independent Evaluation of the Mesa de dialogo y consenso CAO-Cajamarca
    May 01, 2005
    English, Spanish
    Report of the Independent Evaluation of the Mesa de dialogo y consenso CAO-Cajamarca
    Independent Investigation
    Jun 02, 2000
    English
    Independent Investigation
    Investigacion del derrame
    Jun 02, 2000
    Spanish
    Investigacion del derrame
    Agreement(s)
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mar 01, 2003
    Spanish
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Nov 01, 2002
    English
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Nov 01, 2002
    Spanish
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Aug 01, 2002
    English
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Aug 01, 2002
    Spanish
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    May 01, 2002
    English
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    May 01, 2002
    Spanish
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Apr 01, 2002
    Spanish
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Apr 01, 2002
    English
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Feb 01, 2002
    English
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Feb 01, 2002
    Spanish
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Dec 01, 2001
    English
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Dec 01, 2001
    Spanish
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Sep 01, 2001
    English
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Sep 01, 2001
    Spanish
    Mesa Meetings/Reuniones de la Mesa
    Mediation Report
    Aug 01, 2001
    English
    Mediation Report
    Close-out Report(s)
    CAO Exit Report
    Feb 12, 0006
    English
    CAO Exit Report
    Informe de Salida
    Feb 01, 2006
    Spanish
    Informe de Salida
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