:: Corporación Oro Verde ::

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Mining _________________ _______ _____in Chocó____________________

The History of Mining in Chocó________________________

• 1500 a few traces of gold activities found, from pre-Colombian indigenous communities
• 1500-1600 Colonial Period. The Spanish manually extract the gold in Chocó and the Darien, using indigenous man power.
• 1600-1820 the extraction of gold intensified but this time using slaves brought over from Africa.
• 1820-1900 War of Independence. Colombia paid its debt to England in Gold. Manual and artisan mining remained.
• 1900-1980 Concessions given to foreign mining companies, for the extraction of gold, and platinum, using sweeps and heavy machinery. Environmental and Social destruction
• 1980- Today mechanised mid scale mining, developed in an informal manner, anti-ethnic, and illegal.
• 2000 – Initiation of the Certified Green Gold program, as an alternative way of promoting peace and biodiversity.
• 2004 – The internationally recognised Association for Responsible Mining was created, based on the experiences of the Green Gold project in Chocó, Colombia


	The Consequences of Mechanised Mining
	• Destruction of forests and soil. • Considerable changes to the natural habitat. • Water, air and earth contamination • Migration, and destruction of species, due to the loss of natural habitat and devastation of the ecosystems. • Loss of biodiversity and erosion • Loss of land apt for agriculture • Loss of food security • Problems with public health • Local population migration

Green Mining Techniques ____________________________

Mazamorreo (Panning techniques): A technique which involves getting the gravel from the riverbeds and the gravel banks of the river, used during summer periods.
Place of work	Operation	Equipment or tools	Instructions
River or stream	Washing	Panning tray	Wash the concentrated gravel in the panning tray
River or stream	Selection	Panning Tray	Manually refine it through selecting sand

Zambullidero: A technique used in prolonged summer periods. The mine is located at the end of rivers. After successive immersions in the rivers and streams gravel containing minerals are extracted.
Place of work______	Operation	Equipment or tools	Instructions
River or stream	Immersion	Ballast(stone)
	Reimmersion	Almocafre	Scraping of sand and fine gravel
	Recollection	Panning Tray	Recollection of gravel crust
	Washed	Panning Tray	The concentrated gravel is washed in the panning tray
	Yield	Panning Tray	Gravel yield enriched with gold and platinum

Mining with Flow Water Method: A technique practiced in rainy seasons, using the water as a labour force. The water circulates through the narrow artificial canals, and small manmade dams. The sediments containing gold are extracted from the streambeds and washed in the dams
Place of work______	Operation	Equipment or tools	Instructions
Mine	Sedimentation	Dam	Through the use of metal grates they trap the metals that are going to stay
	Separation of solids	Dam	Separate the coarser stones until you are only left with fine sand enriched with gold and platinum
	Yield	Panning tray	Yield of gold and platinum enriched gravel
	Wash	Panning tray	The concentrated fine gravel is washed in the panning trays

Hoyadero (Hole technique): Holes are excavated by hand with varying depths and widths however normally until the bedrock is reached.
Place of work______	Operation	Equipment or tools	Instructions
Mine, Well Shaft	Choose area
	Elimination	Bar	They remove, pound and crush the different materials that appear in the bedrock/stratum
	Excavation	Bar	The walls of the well (hoyo) a reinforced with wood
	Drainage	Panning tray or motorised pump	The water used in the extraction is taken away from the hole, and anything found in it is considered to be of a lower value
	Extraction	Panning tray	To reach the deposit takes a full days work