Studies to define Cerro Rico de Potosí protection plan - MMM

A plan to preserve Bolivia's Cerro Rico de Potosí hill will be designed according to the results of studies that are currently being carried out on its structure, a spokesperson from the mining and metallurgy ministry (MMM) told BNamericas. "Geotechnical and geophysical studies are in progress to determine what has to be done and what points need to be reinforced," the spokesperson said. The debate over Cerro Rico's geological state was back in the news following a cave-in on January 21 that was more than 30m deep. "The plan could be to vacate galleries, vacate the deposit or make hydraulic adjustments. There are many things that could be done, but until we have the studies, it's difficult to start a plan." Mining minister José Pimentel is currently in Potosí to meet with the cooperatives, the Potosí civic committee (Concipo), the culture ministry and other institutions involved in the issue. In June 2009, Concipo and various Potosí social organizations halted mining operations at Cerro Rico due to the doubts surrounding the structural integrity of the mine. "Operations were suspended to preserve the structural integrity of Cerro Rico and they will remain suspended while a geological study that will help decide what the next step should be is carried out," a spokesperson from state miner Comibol said at the time. The San Bartolomé silver project of US-based Coeur d'Alene Mines' (NYSE: CDE, TSX: CDM) local subsidiary Minera Manquiri is being developed at Cerro Rico, but according to the company, its activities are focused on the surface and do not include underground mining.