The Bolivian government has sent a further 250 troops to prevent “mineral theft” around Comibol’s Huanuni mine, boosting the contingent to 400. Currently some 500 ex-cooperative workers are believed to be operating on the fringes of the operation on Posokoni hill, illegally extracting an estimated 200 tonnes per month of tin. Official production at the mine is some 700 tpm.
Four “ore thieves” were killed in a rock fall last Thursday. The men were part of a group of some 400 who had been promised access to new mining areas away from the main mine in February this year. Both Comibol and co-operative representatives told La Razon newspaper that new efforts will be made to accommodate this group from next week. A Comibol spokesman said that there were “enormous” reserves in the area that would last at least 20 years.
Meanwhile a new authority to track the operations of co-operatives has now been formally established and will come into operation in September. The National Service for Registry, Control and Commercialisation of Minerals (Senarecom) will issue licences to producers and traders and record both domestic sales and exports.
