The Mining Chamber of Nicaragua (CAMINIC) organized this past weekend the mining fair 2022 "Nicaragua, we work a modern, environmental and sustainable mining", where for the second consecutive year Plantel Los Angeles (PLA), stood out for its business model, demonstrating that artisanal mining can be sustainable and responsible through the use of efficient technologies and social programs that positively impact the communities where it operates.
As part of the promotion of best practices in the mining industry, Mr. Alejandro Domínguez, General Manager of Plantel Los Angeles, gave the keynote lecture "Industrial Campuses for Artisanal Mining: Los Angeles Campus Model, A Sustainable Solution in Nicaragua" on the first day of the Mining Fair. In his conference, Mr. Dominguez highlighted the business model of Plantel Los Angeles in which we highlight our industrial facilities at the service of artisanal miners in the area which allow formalizing the activity and making it more profitable for all, achieving a greater recovery of the mineral that translates into greater income and direct benefits to artisanal miners, their families and the community in addition to offering greater environmental protection by limiting the use of 2 tons of mercury per year.
Likewise, Plantel Los Angeles works towards the responsible, safe, environmental, and sustainable mining in Nicaragua, by promoting various projects in terms of security, training of artisanal miners in first aid and emergencies and a reforestation program of two thousand trees a year, conservation of water, flora and fauna, carbon footprint monitoring and responsible waste management.
The economic impact generated by the Plantel Los Angeles model brings great benefits for artisanal miners, their collaborators, the communities, the municipality, and Nicaragua. In 2021, the direct annual economic impact of the model was $7.8 million dollars and additionally, $15.1 million dollars were paid to artisanal miners, emphasized Mr. Domínguez.
In the two days of the fair, we had the visit of key actors, miners, university students and Nicaraguan families. Plantel Los Angeles stood out for sharing its business model and the mineral that is extracted by the artisanal miners of La Libertad and Santo Domingo and that later in our industrial plants is processed for the extraction of gold.
