Quellaveco Mine

Working with Peruvian communities

Key to the success of any mining activity is the sustainable support of local host communities.

In 2011, we began an 18-month consultation where Peruvian stakeholders from 31 local authorities and institutions, alongside representatives of the Moquegua community, gathered with us to define how Quellaveco could best contribute to the long-term sustainable development of Moquegua, agreeing on 26 detailed and specific commitments relating to water management, environmental care and social investment.

Quellaveco will use water from the Titire river that is unsuitable for human consumption or agricultural use, due to its volcanic origins, complemented by excess rainwater that we will collect, the majority of which will be shared with the communities, thereby increasing their water availability.

Supporting social programmes

For some time, we have supported social programmes and initiatives in the area, including our own Moquegua Emerge enterprise programme, helping more than 1156 local entrepreneurs to scale their own businesses. This programme is a partnership with the Inter-American Development Bank and the current phase focuses on improving market access for labour and goods/services based on interventions that build capacity in local public and private actors.

By now, we have carried out over 20 capacity building programs for over 9000 participants to increase employability and technical growth opportunities in the mining sector and various economic sectors.

We are also planning to invest 25 million Peruvian Soles to make the technical-educational institute José Carlos Mariátegui, the Centre of Excellence in Peru.

Since 2011, the Quellaveco Fund, a 10 million US dollars trust which funds sustainable development projects, has financed 48 local community projects focussed on areas such as education, health, nutrition and agriculture, improving the lives of more than 26,500 people in the Moquegua region.

As part of this work, more than 20 entrepreneurial networks have been set-up to sell agricultural products, such as avocado and oregano; olive producers from Ilo Valley have increased their incomes by 65%; and water optimisation techniques introduced in Omate have helped grow grape vine yields by three tonnes per hectare, a 60% increase.