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The gold mining organisation Halcon de Oro

Peru is one of the most important gold producing countries in the world. Besides the large international mining companies, there are many smaller mines that represent the majority of the gold mining workforce. One of them is the Minera Halcon de Oro cooperative in Ananea in the Puno region of southern Peru. It is one of the ten cooperatives that together form the umbrella organisation CECOMSAP - Central de Cooperativas Mineras San Antonio de Poto.

Projects using Fairtrade Premium

Organisation and productivity:

  • Installation of an irrigation system for the haul roads.
  • Maintenance of the pouring
  • Furnishing the offices of the cooperative in Juliaca
  • Investments in production facilities such as new and more productive gold panning plants to improve gold recovery rates
  • Further training for cooperative members on accounting, waste management, money laundering
  • Health and safety training for partners and workers to ensure worker safety in the mining unit and prevent accidents.

Workers and working conditions:

  • Purchase of protective clothing for the miners

Environment:

  • Purchase and installation of gravimetric tables to reduce and eliminate the use of mercury in gold mining to protect the environment and health of miners and communities.

Social projects:

  • Purchase of hygiene items, food, toys for various schools in the region.
  • Christmas gifts for school children and families of the workers of the cooperative
  • Participation of the workers in sports activities like a football tournament

About the cooperative

The people of Ananea traditionally live from alpaca breeding and wool production. Although this work is an important part of their identity, it did not offer these people sufficient economic prospects. Therefore, the inhabitants of Ananea found an alternative activity in gold mining to overcome their poverty.

The beginning of the operations of the Cooperativa Minera Halcon de Oro was characterised by informality and the absence of any heavy machinery. Thanks to growing income and with the support of their umbrella organisation CECOMSAP, the miners were able to manage the process of formalisation. CECOMSAP also organises exports.