Ejidatarios Protest Ixtaca Project in Puebla

Ejidatarios from Ixtacamaxtitlan, Puebla protested against the Canada-based company Almaden Mineral for allegedly continuing operations despite being banned from doing so by the Supreme Court. This is a new escalation of tensions between Ixtacamaxtitlan inhabitants and the company, which have been increasing throughout 2022.

The Union of Ejidos and Communities in Defense of Land, Water and Life Atcolhua and the Tiyat Tlali reported that despite Almaden’s Ixtaca project concession cancelation, the company has not withdrawn its personnel from the municipality. Protestors said that they will not allow new mining projects and urged the government to ban new concessions in the area and respect the local communities. “We are sure that we will never allow another concession and that before the president ends his term, we will work hard to prevent this,” the ejido members said.

The ejidatarios argue that Almaden employees are “tearing down the social fabric” to obtain the community’s approval. According to them, the social and economic support the company launched as part of its social programs in surrounding communities like giving fertilizers and seeds to farmers are carried out with ulterior motives.

During a press conference, the Governor of Puebla, Miguel Barbosa, assured that the company would not come back to the municipality since it has not yet carried out the Indigenous consultation required by the Supreme Court. Barbosa qualified the ejidatarios’ claims as unfounded, as the law already forbids the company to operate. 

Almaden has not yet commented on the matter. Its last update on the matter is from Sept. 21, 2022, when the company reported two cooperation agreements signed with two local NGOs: the Irrigation Group of Small Producers from Zacatepec and the United Ejidatarios for the Sustainable Development of Santa Maria Zotoltepec. Under the agreement, the company would work closely with the NGOs to ensure the Human Right to water accessibility to the inhabitants of the communities.

On Jul. 25, 2022, MBN, reported that  Fundar had informed local communities that the Ministry of Economy (SE) forbid Minera Gorrión, a subsidiary of Almaden Minerals to carry out mining operations in the region as a result of a concession cancellation. At that time, Fundar urged the company to refrain from entering the territory and urged the government to not authorize further concessions for mining companies in the region. 

The Ixtaca project is a silver-gold mining development discovered by Almaden Minerals in 2001. According to a feasibility study in 2018, it has probable reserves of over 85Moz of silver and 1.3Moz of gold.