May 18, 2016
“In a way I am very impressed, because I had never seen the the mine until now. I only knew about it from national news reports, and it is stunning to see the giant size, along with the social and environmental projects that exist. Mining is necessary and there are compensation projects that exist that seek to mitigate the impact,” said Liath Paola Cavieden, an agricultural science student at the visiting institution.
Students from the Environmental Engineering, Animal Husbandry and Agricultural Science professional programs of the Universidad Nacional Abierta y a Distancia (UNAD), CEAD Ocaña visited Drummond Ltd.’s Pribbenow mine. For the first time, they saw the mining operation and the processes of a large and complex company. Drummond is focused on its environmental projects and constantly seeks to mitigate the environmental impact caused by its operation.
“Despite the operation and its mining systems, the company does not forget the native flora and fauna of the area, and protects them through relocation processes. This is what most impressed me, because hunting, fishing and capturing animals is also prohibited. What better way to protect the environment than being concerned about the ecosystems in every way”, expresó Angie Carolina said Angie Carolina Botella De la Hoz, a student in the Environmental Engineering program. Botella De La Hoz, estudiante del programa de Ingeniería Ambiental.
The students toured various areas of the mine, among them the overlooks at Paujil and Ramp 7, the oxidation pond in the Borrego area, the tree nursery and the Barracas water treatment plant. They were by Freynis Fragozo, an Environmental Department supervisor, and Carlos Espitia, an Environmental Department assistant, who familiarized them with the coal mining and production processes and the forest compensation projects that the company has to remedy the impact on soil, air and the surrounding bodies of water through air and water quality monitoring systems that control and reduce the effects caused by the operation.
The programs for relocation of fauna and flora protect the native species of the region and provide them with resources for life and reproduction without affecting their natural life cycles were part of their tour. In this way, it seeks to reduce the risks caused by the operation for the protection of the environment.
Seeing this, Jairo Verdel Prada, a teacher and agricultural engineer at the UNAD, stated that: “one can know of of these processes through magazines, but seeing it live allows us to improve our perception of it. Drummond is a company that complies with the regulations, and above all seeks solutions that fit the rules on protection of the environment, and that is what is most important.”
Once again, Drummond Ltd. reaffirms its social commitment to the education of the country’s professionals and the region’s progress through the application of effective policies aimed at carrying out mining that is responsible and sustainable for all.
