September 16, 2016
As part of Drummond Ltd.’s commitment to the inhabitants in the area of influence of its mining and to training professionals from the region, it hosted students in their final year in the Mining Engineering Program at Fundacion Universitaria del Area Andina, Valledupar campus, to a visit of the Pribbenow Mine facilities. The students were able to experience the mining operation up close, and observe how the company works to mitigate environmental impacts generated by coal mining and how it promotes projects with the community.
The mining engineering students were able to explore Drummond Ltd.’s social responsibility in its zones of influence. This information was shared by the company’s Communities Assistant, Leonardo Armenta.
He highlighted programs such as the construction, remodeling, and the improvement of schools, the creation of cafeterias to feed children, and improvements to the surrounding towns in the mine’s area of influence, where more than 50,000 people have benefited. He also spoke of the company’s contribution to the construction and remodeling of 12 healthcare institutions in the area of influence.
“I think all of Drummond’s help to the nearby communities is excellent, all the different kinds of benefits in the neighboring communities, both social and academic, and for the young people who are in school,” highlighted Diego Bejarana, a student at Fundacion Universitaria del Area Andina.
Luwing Otero, Long-term Planning Engineer in the Engineering Department, gave an overview of Drummond Ltd.’s mining activities. He began his talk by discussing the mining projects and showed the students the machinery used by the company and how it operates.
Other aspects covered during the visit included how environmental licenses are handled and the techniques used to compensate and protect plants and animals, environmental management plans, and how the company manages regular solid waste products which was discussed by environmental engineers Fray Orozco and Freinys Fragozo. They also referred to the air quality monitoring stations located in the districts of La Aurora, Rincon Hondo, La Guajirita, and Cuatro Vientos.
From Overlook Ramp 7, Eulises Cardenas, Director of Industrial Safety, told the young people about the company’s mining designs, how it uses equipment (777 and 793 trucks), the transportation of waste rock, and the movement of coal from when it’s first loaded in trucks all the way to Load Out, the final collection point for the mineral.
“Students and professors always expect to implement what they learn in class into practice. That’s very good, especially at Drummond; which is such a large company that it brings together the entire world of coal on a large scale. Coming here and seeing everything there is, the number of machines they have, is important for them as students. It’s a great experience and is going to be very useful to them, because from here on they’ll have a better idea about what they’re studying, and what they might do with it in the future,” highlighted Washington Roso, a professor from Universidad Andina in the Civil Engineering, Geological Engineering, and Mining Engineering programs.
Drummond Ltd. continues to demonstrate its commitment to educating Colombians and carrying out responsible mining that cares for and protects the environment in which it works.
