Joanne Freeze
Opposition to Northern Cañariaco Candente is not as it seems, says general manager
Government officials in the Peruvian region of Lambayeque said that protests against the project Vancouver firm Candente Copper (TSX: DNT, Lima: CDOUF) of U.S. $ 1.470mn North Cañariaco Company represent "artificial conflict," said Candente's general manager, Joanne Freeze.
"There are commercial interests who want to make it seem like it's a problem with the community," the executive said, adding that some of the groups involved apparently have a history in terrorism.
"It is well known that it is not what it seems."
In early December, a group of protesters blocked the paths to Cañariaco Norte and 10 consultants retained by Candente contract for a study on the social aspects of the environmental impact of the initiative. The incident was resolved, but in January a group of about 500 people returned to temporarily block access.
"I would never say that people in Kañaris [district where the project is] not worried about the future of their land, but in this particular case this is a very unusual conflict."
Roundtables
The Presidency of the Council of Ministers (PCM) of Peru and the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM) roundtables established in the district Kañaris in Lambayeque, in response to protests in order to help advance the project in the town and to promote dialogue between the conflicting parties.
Initially, protesters demanded a roundtable to promote dialogue, but now ask Candente removed from the area before agreeing to talks.
"We can not allow a company that is meeting the legal order, the commitment of communities, be told to withdraw because a small group wants to condition a dialogue, we can not accept that, we would be giving a very bad sign," said the holder of the MEM, Jorge Merino, quoted by the state news agency Andina.
"It is very important to us that the government find the agitators who sponsor, for the community and all people can understand what is really going on," said Freeze.
Candente Although not directly participating in the roundtables, the executive is expected to call the firm to "certain aspects".
CONTINUE THEIR DESIGN AND DEVELOPMENT INITIATIVES
Meanwhile, work continues on Candente several community projects and sustainable development that already run in the region, which include crop development programs coffee and quinoa, plus archaeological research in the area funded by the company. According to the general manager, most people in the community continues for Candente presence in the region.
Candente is conducting the environmental impact study for North Cañariaco and recently increased its planned production of 95.000t / d proposed in the feasibility study to 110,000 t / d.
It is estimated that production will start in 2018 with 118.000t / y of copper in concentrates, which contain further 40,000 oz of gold close to 1 million ounces of silver.