In addition to hitting illegal activities, the authorities work on the protection of natural resources. Inhabitants of this region benefit of the operations that are carried out to counteract the pollution of the water resources and the loss of specimens.
Troops of the Eighth Brigade of the National Army in coordination with the Brigade Against Illegal Mining, the Military Intelligence Battalion No.5, Air Combat Command No.1 and the CTI (Technical Investigations Corps) of the Prosecutor's Office, reported finding machinery and elements with which illicit exploitation of mining deposits was being carried out, who used the modality of cubic system and dredges for the extraction of alluvial gold.
In the rural area of the municipalities of Samaná, Norcasia and Victoria, department of Caldas, in a land infiltration and control work against the illicit extraction of minerals, three mining production units were intervened where gold was extracted in different modalities, and where, in addition to using mercury and cyanide, about five hectares of vegetation layer had already been hit and water sources that flow into the La Miel and Samaná Rivers were being polluted.
This operation took place in the hamlets Buenavista in Samaná, Jagual in Norcasia and the village of Isaza in Victoria, where an engine, 250 meters of steel cord, material transport construction, a material selection pool, four dredgers, four motor pumps, four compressors, four selection gutters, four 8-inch suction pipes, 70 meters of hoses, 80 gallons of gasoline and other materials for illicit activity were found by troops, in addition a cubic of extraction of 10 meters deep.
The illegal exploitation of minerals in these eastern municipalities of Caldas has been carried out without having the legal mining title, stipulated in Law 685 of 2001, of the Mining Code, which has hit not only natural resources, but the well-being and security of the families who live and legally benefit of these water sources.
It is estimated that 2,300 grams of gold per month would be extracted in these illegal production units, which is equivalent to an average income per sale of 660 million pesos per month, thus hitting this illegal economy by an approximate monthly cost of 725 million pesos.
With these results a significant reduction of the environmental impact was possible. It should be noted that the cost of the recovery of environmental damage is approximately 750 million pesos and it could take conducted by about 20 to 30 years.
Source: Press – National Army
