Plantel Los Angeles, a key player in Nicaragua's mining sector, announced a new marketing policy for artisanal miners in La Libertad and Santo Domingo, as well as detailing the investment and improvements made to its laboratory and the inauguration of a new mining commissariat, as part of its inclusive business model that seeks to directly benefit the communities with whom it works.
To this end, the First Artisanal Mining Meeting was held, promoted by Plantel Los Angeles, which was attended by more than one hundred artisanal miners from different communities in the area, who had the opportunity to learn about the new benefits and actions carried out by Plantel Los Ángeles to contribute to the strengthening of artisanal mining.
"This meeting reinforces the direct and transparent relationship we maintain with artisanal miners, with the aim of contributing to their well-being and that of the community, while continuing to improve safety and environmental management practices," said Alejandro Dominguez, General Manager of Plantel Los Angeles.
Carlos Mairena Solís, artisanal miner from Santo Domingo, expressed his satisfaction with the meeting "since it is very important to promote and encourage artisanal miners to continue working together with the Plantel".
For his part, Sergio Murillo, president of the Mining Chamber of Nicaragua (CAMINIC), said that this initiative promoted by Plantel Los Angeles is fundamental to continue developing the model of ordering of artisanal mining and to continue to contribute positively to the local and national economy.
Marketing Policy
The new marketing policy of Plantel Los Angeles aims to encourage extraction at authorized points and integrated into the company's traceability plan and therefore continue to contribute to the ordering of artisanal mining.
It includes benefits and incentives for artisanal miners such as the bonuses in cash or in products, both for independent artisanal miners and for cooperatives. This policy is an important advance towards the traceability plan of Plantel that is key for the mining sector in the country.
"In addition, artisanal miners will have access to financing and interest-free loans, always subject to their extraction work being carried out at authorized points and complying with the established procedure. In addition, we will support them with evaluation and technical assistance," Dominguez said.
Modern and reliable laboratory
"We also had the opportunity to show the advances and improvements we have made in the laboratory as part of our commitment to guarantee quality and transparency in the analysis of samples given to us by artisanal miners," Dominguez explained.
The manager of the Los Angeles campus explained that more than $140 thousand dollars were invested in the modernization of the laboratory facilities, with new equipment and personnel training, which allows a significant reduction in the times and routes of the samples, better lighting, and surveillance for the monitoring of the samples by the suppliers, as well as better control of the internal environment.
New commisiariat
Another important contribution of the Plantel Los Angeles was the announcement of the new commissariat with specialized products for mining such as tools, personal protective and work equipment at convenient prices and conditions.
The commissariat will provide special discounts to artisanal miners who work with Plantel Los Angeles and deliver ore from the areas of interest. In addition, they will be able to place orders for equipment or tools, which are not available in the inventory of the Commissariat.
Another benefit that the Commissariat brings, is that it will allow artisanal miners to make use of credits to buy the specialized products they need once they complete the established requirements.
"In Plantel Los Angeles we generate an inclusive business model that directly benefits artisanal miners and the community in which our operation is located, through programs that allow the formalization of the activity and make it more profitable, safe and friendly to the environment," added the manager.