The environmental authority of Tolima has ordered multinational gold miner AngloGold Ashanti to stop its controversial activities in a central Colombia village, saying it broke rules on mining exploration and water use.
The company’s mining activities, which have been going on for a year in the Piedras municipality of the central Tolima department, caused local protests in February as the community blocked roads in an attempt to stop the passage of company personnel and equipment into the area.
Now the Autonomous Regional Corporation of Tolima (CORTOLIMA) says AngloGold Ashanti has engaged in “exploration activities without permission”, potentially causing damage to the protected riverbed in the village of Camao, Piedras and its surrounding area.
See http://colombiareports.com/colombia-news/news/28510-colombia-orders-anglogold-ashanti-to-stop-illegal-mining-exploration-activities.html