Argentina-tucumán Bans Mining Activity

ARGENTINA

Tucumán bans mining activity - Argentina

BNAmericas

18th April 2007

Legislators in Argentina's Tucumán province have approved a law prohibiting open pit metallic mining and the use of cyanide and mercury during mining processes.

The decision was approved without objection by the executive branch, newspaper Tucumán al Día reported. With the move, Tucumán joins the list of Argentine provinces that have taken prohibitive measures against mining, such as Chubut, La Rioja, Mendoza and Río Negro.

Mining in Tucumán is principally focused on the production of decorative rocks and industrial minerals like aggregates, clays, ceramics, gypsum, lime, mica and table salt.

However, the province's website indicates that in terms of metallic mining, Tucumán offers a nearly untouched territory with signs of gold, copper, silver, titanium and chromium.

By Business News Americas staff reporters