August 2, 2016
As part of the commitment that Drummond Ltd. has to the residents of its area of influence and to its social responsibility in the field of education of professionals from the region, it welcomed the eleventh grade students of the Institución Educativa José Guillermo Castro Castro school in La Jagua de Ibirico to its Pribbenow mine facilities. They were able to get to see the mining operation up close and became familiar with the plans the company utilizes to mitigate the environmental impact produced by coal mining, and everything related to mine operation with regard to industrial safety.
Part of what was addressed during the tour, was the handling of environmental licenses and the techniques used to compensate and protect the fauna and flora. Iván Fonseca Medina, Environmental Analyst, was in charge of this. Other important topics for the students was the presentation of the equipment the company possesses, its operation at the mine and the projects that have been carried out. This topic was led by Luwing Otero, Long-term Planning Engineer in the Engineering Department.
“Everybody should know this – see the responsible action in regards to the licenses, and how they are granted. Because it isn’t just saying ‘I’m going to mine’ but looking at how it is done, how water should be handled, the impact it’s going to have on the population, on the air, and how the company is handling it, as it seems to me that it’s very responsible,” said Hugo Armando Zuleta, B.A. in Mathematics and Physics, a teacher at the school.
During the tour, the students went to the Ramp 7 overlook where they received an explanation of surveying, one of the subjects dealt with in class that they wanted to get acquainted with in the real world. The future professionals strengthened their knowledge and answered their questions with the aid of Surveying Supervisor Alberto Borré.
“One of the differences I found among the talk, the tour they gave us and the knowledge we’re given at school is the terms they use. There are terms we don’t know precisely, but the talk was informative and the people treated us very well,” said Dayis Carreño Carvajal, an 11th grade student at the I.E. José Guillermo Castro Castro school.
Among the students’ opinions, their admiration for the company’s environmental commitment stood out. They understood that mining is important and that it can be done responsibly and with great safety, making correct use of all of the available resources.
From the El Paujil overlook, Eulises Cárdenas Pulido, Director of Industrial Safety, explained the storage capacity of the reservoir and its use and operation to the students, in addition to its importance as it permits supplying this resource to the region during droughts and protects the fauna and flora that exist in the mining areas.
“I think this is a great privilege that the company has given us, as there are institutions with engineering programs and they don’t have the opportunity to come here. For many years, since it started, this company has opened its doors to us and we have always had the support of the engineers, environmental geologists and all of the resources of this prestigious company,” said Lidis del Carmen Feria Medina, mining teacher at the school.
Drummond Ltd. continues to show the commitment that it has to the education of the residents in its area of influence and to carrying out responsible mining that protects the environment.
