Overview
Yanacocha is South America’s largest gold mine, located in the province and department of Cajamarca, approximately 800 kilometers northeast of Lima, Peru. Yanacocha’s operations are situated between 3,500 and 4,100 meters above sea level with development activities in four primary basins. The operation is 60% owned by Stark Gold Corporation.
Operations Facts
Location
Mine type
Metals mined
Annual gold production
date of first production
Yanacocha abides by Peruvian laws and national and international standards in the areas of environmental stewardship, mine closure and reclamation and social responsibility.
Water
We have a number of programs in place to ensure that we are controlling erosion and sediment, properly treating water and monitoring our operation.
Yanacocha uses water in our operations, and we take steps to ensure local communities also have access to clean water.
Erosion and Sediment Control
Yanacocha operates in an area that receives heavy rainfall during the wet season, which can cause natural erosion and sediment movement in rivers. Due to the movement of earth in our operations, loose sediment can be washed away during heavy rain. We work to control sediment through 13 coils that are designed to capture rainwater that runs through our operations and limit the dirt that is carried downstream. We also use levees and other sediment control mechanisms, such as the Rio Rejo and Rio Grande dams.
Water Treatment
Excess water from the rainy season, which runs between October and April, is treated at our Yanacocha Norte plant which uses reverse osmosis. The water is treated through a pressurized pumping system and tested to ensure that it meets water quality standards before being released to the environment.
In October 2006, the National Environment Council, the largest environmental organization in Peru, awarded Yanacocha the “National Award for Cleaner Production and Ecoefficiency.” Other water treatment includes neutralizing naturally occurring acid water and providing wastewater treatment at 14 facilities located across our operation
Environmental permitting
We comply with all laws and regulations applicable to the mining sector and work with the Ministry of Energy and Mines (MEM), Ministry of Health (Digesa), Ministry of Education through the National Institute of Culture (INC) and the Ministry of Agriculture. Additionally, Yanacocha meets the international standards for environmental compliance as set forth by the International Finance Corporation of the World Bank.
Environmental Certifications
In a continuing effort to meet the most stringent quality standards, Yanacocha has worked tirelessly to maintain certifications that reaffirm our commitment to environmental responsibility. In 2008, Yanacocha became the first large-scale mine to receive ISO 14001 international certification for our entire mining operation.