MINA CHEDE

“A mining organisation with high standards brings with itself an integration effect and it creates the possibility of generating production chains that positively impact the economy, the environment and the local communities.”: Anny Jaramillo, Planning Director.

The mining operation Mina Chede is located near the municipality of El Tambo, in the Cauca department of Colombia. The mine was acquired in 2007, when the construction and assembly work started, until the company received the Environmental Licence in 2011 and could start extracting gold.

The region where the mining operation is based is a mining region; one half of the population here is engaged in mining and the other in agriculture, especially coffee, agave, sugar cane and pine[1].

About 100 people depend on Mina Chede. Furthermore, the organisation constantly promotes the workers’ education in order to allow them to improve their and their family’s quality of life.

THE PATH TOWARDS FAIRMINED CERTIFICATION

The support process lasted about six months with Mina Chede. One of the main challenges of the organisation was to face the doubts generated by the changes to the commercialization model.

“We decided to get this certification because we firmly believe that only an activity that takes into account all its surroundings (social, environmental, financial) deserves to be called mining. Nevertheless, what we are doing now could become mandatory in the future. For this reason, we want to tell all the miners who wish to follow this path: make it your decision today, don’t wait for it to be an obligation tomorrow”. Anny Jaramillo, Planning Director at Mina Chede.

QUICK FACTS

Location: Cauca Department, Colombia, see location here.

Number of workers: 43 men and 11 women

Type of extraction: underground

Company founded: 2007

Fairmined Certification: October 2018

FAIRMINED PREMIUM

Learn about Mina Chede’s investments in best mining practices, workers well-being and community development thanks to the Fairmined award report.

AUDIT SUMMARY

Learn about Mina Chedes’s audit results 2021 in relation to environmental protection, working conditions, development plan, and commercial relations.

ACHIEVEMENTS THANKS TO THE FAIRMINED CERTIFICATION

The only certified organization in the department of Cauca, managing to create a conflict-free supply chain in the area.

WORKERS AND COMMUNITY’S WELFARE

Construction of occupational health and safety office.
Training in stress management, personal growth and gender violence.
Support for the youth cultural group of the Tambo Technological Institute.

BEST MINING PRACTICES

Geotechnical stability analysis of the new sedimentation tanks.
Implementation of a flotation cell to improve mineral processing.
Mini loader for cleaning sedimentation tanks.

ENVIRONMENT

Landscape beautification.

ORGANIZATIONS ACCOMPANYING THE CERTIFICATION PROCESS

The Better Gold initiative BGI and the Alliance for Responsible Mining (ARM) accompanied Mina Chede’s certification process.

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