This week the Minister ad interim of Environment and Energy, Celeste López, visited the region of Crucitas to follow up on the illegal mining activity taking place in this area.

The objective of the visit was to carry out an inspection that contributes to evaluating the situation and the environmental impacts that the illegal extraction of gold has caused.

Back on May 9, when Minister of Environment Carlos Manuel Rodriguez visited Crucitas along with the Minister of Security Michael Soto, there were at least 4500 gold panners; after this inspection the authorities confirmed that there are now close to 500 gold panners, this is the result of a high number of operations carried out by the Frontier Police.

Samples were taken to determine the concentration of Mercury (used to separate gold from mud) and the results of the environmental impact will be disclosed as soon as possible; investigations are also being carried out to determine who is supplying the mercury for the panners and who is buying the gold.

Regarding this situation, Minister Carlos Rodriguez had stated in the past that “The environmental impact right now is much less than if there was a full mining operations (…) it is known that between 10 to 20 hectares have been affected by the gold panners; with a mining operation close to 80 hectares would have been affected. By stopping illegal mining the forest cover can recover helping mitigate the impact naturally, however that’s not the case with Mercury”.

The Ministry of Environment estimates that gold panners could have taken as much as $1.5 milllion in gold , however, this number is still being reviewed. An ounce of gold is valued at an average price of $1,250 (in the first two weeks of December at the New York market price).