Pan American Silver Releases Alamo Dorado Mine’s Closure Plan

Pan American Silver released its closure plan for the Alamo Dorado Mine, which is intended to mitigate the environmental impact the mine caused during its operation. The company held meetings with surrounding communities to inform them of the plan’s current progress. 

In Mar. 2022, representatives of Pan American Silver met with ejidatarios of the El Sombrerito and El Maquipo ejidos, to establish direct channels of communication and review the development of the company’s social efforts. The meeting was held at the Alamo Dorado facilities. 

Eduardo Robles, Deputy Delegate for Industrial Inspection, the Federal Attorney’s Office for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA), met with Pan American Silver representatives to inspect the authorized works for the closure plan. Robles ascertained the works meet the current environmental legal framework. He also attended the meeting with ejidatarios and declared that PROFEPA will oversee the project to ensure it complies with regulation and compromises and highlighted the importance of the ejidos’ participation. 

The closure plan is intended to mitigate the impact the project caused. For this reason, the company will launch works for sealing, reforestation via hydroseeding and traditional techniques, the construction of stormwater drains, flora and fauna preservation programs as well as water treatment for the Del Tajo lagoon. The communities that would benefit from the works include Zapote, El Guamuchil, El Potrero, El Maquipo, La Quintera, El Paso, El Chinal and Basiroa, among others. 

Ejidatarios consider the closure plan to be of public interest. Therefore, they proposed the creation of committees in each of the ejidos, which are to visit the mine to inspect the progress of the plan, as well as ensure the fulfillment of social compromises made by the company, which include an annual payment for the land use and Right of Way, as well as medicine donations, scholarships for intern doctors, a supply of drinking water, road maintenance and vaccination campaigns, among others. 

Alamo Dorado is an open pit project located 45km from the Alamos community in Sonora. In 2005, Pan American Silver announced the construction of the project with an estimated investment of US$76.6 million, financed by the company’s own resources. At the time, the company stated that the mine had proven reserves of 44Moz of silver and 9Moz of other mineral resources. In 2013, it ranked as one of the 15 most important silver mines in the world. 

Since the start of the project, the company stressed the importance of community relations. MBN reported the company held meeting with agricultural authorities to develop sustainable agriculture projects.