Mr. Jose Noguera Gomez highlighted the importance of these values in mining professionals.
Within the framework of his participation as speaker in the I seminar «Effective Strategies to Achieve Success in the Mining Sector», organized by the Chamber of Mines of Peru and held in the Raul Porras Barrenechea Hall of the Congress of the Republic; Mr. Jose Ignacio Noguera Gomez, Vice President of Corporate Affairs of Gran Colombia Gold Corporation and professor at the Sergio Arboleda University of Colombia, made his presentation entitled: «Integral Vision for the Development of the Mining Professional».
In it, he highlighted the importance of training integral professionals who share the values of the extractive industry; and who also have a high commitment to the environment and the communities near the work area.
The need to train this type of professionals breaks with the traditional concept that in order to achieve the maximum possible success during the development of mining operations, it is sufficient to have workers who have a broad domain of specialized knowledge in the various mining tasks, such as drilling, blasting, loading, transport, etc.
However, the new characteristics and needs of the mining scenario require a paradigm shift in the training of professionals, technicians and operating personnel in the sector. Currently, it is necessary to implement an integral vision in training programs where aspects such as sustainable development, the practice of an extractive activity with social and environmental responsibility are highlighted. In addition, allow the establishment of a mining that involves all those sectors that are related to the sector.
«It is absolutely necessary to demonstrate how important it is for the whole extractive business to train a mining worker with an integral vision. That is to say, committed to respecting the environment and sharing the values of this industry. To optimize results, the mining sector requires workers with sufficient knowledge to apply technological advances, with discipline in the performance of their work, and with commitment to the environment and to subjects related to the exercise of safe practices,» said Mr. Jose Ignacio Noguera Gomez.
For Mr. Noguera Gomez, the training of a miner with an comprehensive vision is based on the development of a concept called «Good Corporate Citizenship». This definition refers to the establishment of high standards of ethics, integrity, good corporate governance, respect for the law (payment of taxes, payment of royalties); and adequate contribution to the communities near the mining projects. Always, having as a base the development of the work with the highest possible level of safety.
When we talk about «Good Corporate Citizenship» there are three subjects linked to this concept. The first is soundness. Since it is a long-term industry, it is necessary to have companies capable of investing large resources and guaranteeing effective production; in addition, they must pay royalties, taxes, fair salaries and have their employees affiliated to the general social security systems.
The second aspect is to have a motivated and trained workforce. A team that understands the challenges of the industry and is capable of moving projects forward, within the companies and the communities, in order to help the economic and social growth of those regions.
The third section to achieve good corporate citizenship with miners who have a comprehensive vision is the technological one. This aspect is very important because it is becoming increasingly difficult to access resources. For example, those mines that have been exploited for more than 180 years have decreased their historical value, which were between 200 and 300 grams per ton, and today is between 6 and 7 grams per ton.
For example, in Colombia one of the main challenges to be solved in relation to mining industry is the high presence of informal and illegal extractive operations.
«The difficult economic situation in these areas, together with the sad reality of violence, caused gold production in these areas to be mixed with the presence of criminal gangs, drug trafficking and money laundering. These same gangs encouraged the illegal production of the mineral in these regions,» said Colombian specialist Mr. Noguera Gomez.
To improve this situation, companies must identify the concerns or needs of the communities. Without leaving aside the interests of the companies, they must determine the best projects that can be developed with these populations and work together with the local government.
For example, in the case of Gran Colombia Gold Corporation, this organization signed agreements with various institutions such as the Antioquia’s Goverment, the Segovia’s Municipality and the U.S. Embassy in Colombia. This is to develop a plan called » Small Mining Production Chain «. The plan is based on six points of action: optimization of environmental performance; safety; teamwork; good corporate governance, transparency and human rights; and finally, community development.
«For example, in one of the operations we carried out in the Segovia’s Municipality (department of Antioquia), when we arrived, we found more than 195 illegal mines, which is equivalent to more than 10 thousand miners working informally and who were responsible for numerous environmental liabilities. In this area, the Small Mining Production Chain was implemented. The objective was to reach, through community management, an agreement with the more than 195 informal operations to guide their members towards formalization», commented Mr. Noguera Gomez.
Making the transition to formal mining involves complying with a series of requirements that informal organizations are not accustomed to. For example, they must obtain tax registration, pay taxes, their employees must be affiliated with the social security systems, comply with the environmental management plan and guarantee access to health care for their workers.
As a result of the comprehensive vision work carried out in the mining sector in Segovia, Gran Colombia Gold Corporation has signed 36 contracts with informal miners. This figure represents 50% of the company’s current production and represents an income of more than US$ 80 million for the formalized miners.
«Another point in favor is that within our organization we do not use mercury for mineral recovery. We use the cyanide leaching process, which guarantees that the small miner obtains a higher recovery of his product. Thanks to this we have managed to eliminate 50 tons per year of mercury since 2013», said the Vice President of Corporate Affairs of Gran Colombia Gold Corporation.
Once his presentation was over, Mr. Jose Ignacio Noguera Gomez received an Honorary Diploma, on behalf of the Congress of the Republic and the Chamber of Mines of Peru. This was for his valuable collaboration in the comprehensive training of students related to the mining activity in Peru.
