El Ciudadano
Original article: Luz verde al extractivismo en Biobío: gobierno de Kast aprueba minera de tierras raras pese a década de oposición territorial
José Antonio Kast’s government has officially approved extractivism in the Biobío Region by greenlighting the controversial rare earth extraction project proposed by Aclara Resources. This decision comes after ten years of resistance from local communities and organizations.
In the face of public protests, the Environmental Evaluation Commission (COEVA) of the Biobío Region unanimously supported the Canadian mining initiative, which includes an intervention of over 170 hectares in ecologically and socially sensitive areas, situated in critical water regulation zones that also serve as part of the natural drainage system for the Penco Stream.
The project received 12 votes in favor during the meeting led by the regional presidential delegate, Julio Anativia, and was backed by various regional ministerial secretariats (Seremis) covering Environment, Health, Economy, Energy, Public Works, Agriculture, Housing, Transport, Mining, and Social Development.
Thus, Kast’s representatives in Biobío have opened the door for a project that has aimed to establish itself in this territory for over a decade, despite historical opposition from communities due to the pollution threat it poses to biodiversity, the environment, and water bodies.
Indeed, in 2022, a public consultation process took place in Penco where 7,548 voters participated, with 99% voting against the mining project pushed by Aclara Resources through its subsidiary REE UNO SpA.
Public Opposition to a Project Threatening the Ecosystem of Penco-Lirquén
During the COEVA vote, a crowd of locals gathered outside the Presidential Delegation at Plaza de la Independencia in Concepción to voice their opposition to rare earth mining.
The spokesperson for the Penco-Lirquén Free from Mines movement, Camila Arriagada, reminded that the community opposes not only the technical characteristics but also the serious environmental impacts that, according to critics and experts, would accompany the establishment of a mine in the urban area of Penco-Lirquén, as well as the support it has received from the current far-right government authorities.
The controversial Aclara Resources project entails an investment of $170 million and involves the removal of large quantities of soil to obtain lanthanides, minerals used in the manufacturing of advanced technologies and in the military industry; the installation of a plant capable of processing 320 tons per hour, and a permanent intervention of more than 170 hectares.
Arriaga criticized the decision of the seremis, labeling them as «irresponsible and negligent,» and accused the approval as a result of prior government agreements to sell these minerals to the United States and promote extractivism in Biobío, which contradicts the wishes of local communities seeking to foster and develop «the tourism and gastronomy vocation of our commune and not to become a mining sacrifice zone,» as noted by ADN.
She warned of the risk of radioactivity in the territory once Aclara’s operations begin, as minerals like thorium and uranium could be removed from the area’s clay soil, leading to contamination.
Organizations and Community to File Resources to Halt Rare Earth Installation
For the community and organizations of Penco-Lirquén, although the green light from COEVA is a key factor for the project’s launch, it does not end the process nor guarantees installation.
The NGO Defensa Ambiental stated that after their sixth attempt and years of processing due to technical deficiencies in the rare earth project that endangers water, ecosystems, health, and the ways of life of the communities in Greater Concepción, it was finally approved by a political committee of the current government.
Following this support, the Environmental Evaluation Commission will proceed to issue the Environmental Qualification Resolution (RCA) and once this resolution is published, a period of 30 legal business days will open for imposing legal recourses against it.
In light of this situation, they confirmed they will resort to all administrative and legal channels to halt the initiative, arguing that not all public comments were satisfactorily addressed during the evaluation process.
«We will file appeal resources for insufficient consideration of public observations and invalidity resources on behalf of all individuals and organizations in Penco and all affected communities,» they stated in a declaration shared on their social media.
It’s important to note that just because a project has a favorable RCA does not mean it will necessarily be built. A recent example highlighted by Resumen is the GNL Penco project in the Bay of Concepción, which has not been developed despite favorable processing due to sustained public resistance.
*Featured image: Resumen.
La entrada Approval for Rare Earth Mining in Biobío: Kast Administration Moves Forward Despite a Decade of Local Opposition se publicó primero en El Ciudadano.
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