La Revancha mine, full name Ampliación La Revancha[1] and often known as the Chicomuselo baryte mine is a baryte mine, located in Chicomuselo, in Chiapas, Mexico.
| Location | |
|---|---|
  La Revancha mine  La Revancha mine | |
| Location | San Ramón village, Chicomuselo |
| State | Chiapas |
| Country | Mexico |
| Coordinates | 15°47′N 92°49′W / 15.78°N 92.81°W |
| Production | |
| Products | Baryte |
| Owner | |
| Company | Blackfire Exploration |
| Year of acquisition | 2006 |
The mine located in North Americas largest baryte reserves.
The mine opened in 2007, and was met with opposition from the local community, led by activist Mariano Abarca, who was assassinated in 2009. The mine was closed shortly after the assassination, briefly opened after a court appeal and then closed in 2010, after federal court appeal. In 2023, activists reported that the mine reopened.
The mine is owned by Blackfire Exploration.
Description
edit
The mine is located on North America's largest baryte deposit,[2] located on a hill in the San Ramón village near Chicomuselo, Chiapas, Mexico.[3] It is owned by Canadian company Blackfire Exploration.[4]
History
editThe deposit that the mine is on has been used to mine gold, copper and platinum for decades, before being operated by Caracol Mining Company from 2003 until 2006[5] to mine antimony and baryte.[6]
Caracol Mining Company sold their assets to Blackfire Exploration Mexico,[5] operated by brothers Brad and Brent Willis from Calgary. After their obtained permission to operate the mine, they named it La Revancha (English payback or revenge)[3] and opened the mine in 2007.[4] The opening of the mine was supported by some local community[3] and met with opposition from others,[4][3] including Román López Ramírez the president of the Grecia ejido.[5] Ramírez accused the Government of Canada of pressuring Mexican authorities into providing social assistance to the community to appease them about the mine.[5]
Community members blocked the road the project as part of protests against the mine.[4] Protests were led by activist Mariano Abarca, who was threatened and beaten and assassinated in November 2009.[4][7] Abarca had previously been assaulted by Blackfire Exploration staff.[8]
The mine was forcibly closed by Mexican authorities on December 7, 2009 after it failed to meet environmental laws. Owners appealed, and a district judge reversed the closure in April 2010.[1] After an appeal from the Chiapas Ministry of Environment, Housing and Natural History,[9] the federal judiciary to reverse that decision, closing the mine again in October 2010.[1]
In 2011, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police raided Blackfire Exploration's offices while investigating the payment of a bribe to a Chiapas state mayor. Three staff were arrested during the raid.[10][11]
In January 2023, Avispa Mídia reported that mining activity resumed.[12]
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ a b c Marshal, Angels (20 October 2010). "La Jornada: Mina de barita en Chiapas seguirá cerrada hasta que cumpla normas". La Jornada (in Mexican Spanish). Retrieved 2023-06-13.
- ^ "Opinion | Murder of Mexican mining protester throws spotlight on role of Canada's embassies". thestar.com. 2019-03-24. Archived from the original on 2022-02-08. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
- ^ a b c d Katarina, Sabados (3 September 2019). "Mining, Murder, and Impunity". Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project. Archived from the original on 2023-04-21. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
- ^ a b c d e "Slain Mexican activist Mariano Abarca's supporters contest federal watchdog's refusal to probe case". The Globe and Mail. 2021-11-08. Archived from the original on 2021-11-10. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
- ^ a b c d Henríquez, Elio (5 May 2008). "La barita, otro tesoro que no ha dejado beneficios para pobladores de Chiapas - La Jornada". La Jornada. Archived from the original on 2021-09-18. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
- ^ "La extracción de minerales, sujeta a usos y costumbres en Chicomuselo - La Jornada". La Jornada. 16 August 2005. Archived from the original on 2020-08-14. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
- ^ "Supporters of slain Mexican mining activist take case against Canada to international body". CBC. 7 June 2023. Archived from the original on 8 June 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Pskowski, Martha (2019-12-31). "Latin American environmentalists face looming threats of violence". Canada's National Observer. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
- ^ "Firma canadiense acepta cierre temporal de mina en Chiapas". Proceso (in Spanish). 19 October 2010. Archived from the original on 2022-05-22. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
- ^ "Investigation exposes Canadian mining industry bribing in Mexico". MercoPress. 31 August 2011. Archived from the original on 2022-04-06. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
- ^ "Environmentalists taking federal watchdog to court over diplomats' actions in Mexican mining dispute". CBC. 18 May 2018. Archived from the original on 17 January 2023. Retrieved 13 June 2023.
- ^ Pinto, Ñaní (2023-01-10). "Chiapas: Denuncian reactivación de mina en Chicomuselo bajo hostigamiento y sin permiso ambiental". Avispa Mídia (in Mexican Spanish). Archived from the original on 2023-01-10. Retrieved 2023-06-13.
External links
edit- Jennifer Moore and Gillian Colgrove, Corruption, Murder and Canadian Mining in Mexico: The Case of Blackfire Exploration and the Canadian Embassy Mining Watch Canada
