After years of delays, officials in Peru said they’re moving forward with the construction of a controversial copper mine despite concerns from local communities that the project could pollute rivers and destroy agriculture. The Tía María copper mine in Valle del Tambo, in southern Peru, will begin operations before the end of this year, President Dina Boluarte said during a national address, reversing her promise to protect tourism, small-scale farming and agriculture exports in the area. “The population of Valle del Tambo already has an economic activity that works and isn’t polluting and has no risk of contamination, like mining activity does, and that’s what they demand to be respected,” said Jaime Borda, executive secretary of Red Muqui, a network of activist groups supporting communities affected by mining. The fertile Valle del Tambo, located between the Pacific coast and Andes mountains, produces rice, onion, garlic, potato, sweet potato and squash, among other vegetables. Residents say copper mining will pollute the Tambo River and other waterbodies that make small-scale agriculture possible. In addition to losing the area’s traditional economic activity, residents could lose access to drinking water, potentially forcing them to move away, critics said. Copper mines, which require digging deep into the earth, pose a risk of leaching chemicals like sulfuric acid into the groundwater. They also kick up dust containing heavy metals. Miguel Meza at a protest against the Tía María copper mine. Photo courtesy of Miguel Meza/Facebook. “It could mean the disappearance of Valle del Tambo,” resident and…This article was originally published on Mongabay
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