Catamarca residents warn mining expansion threatens water and social cohesion

Rural residents and socio-environmental assemblies in Catamarca are raising alarms regarding the expansion of mining projects in mountain and highland areas. Local populations report that extractive activities, including exploratory drilling and brine pumping for metal deposits, threaten freshwater reserves, springs, and aquifers essential for family gardens and high-altitude livestock.

Beyond environmental concerns, the mining industry is reportedly causing social fractures within local communities. Residents cite increased living costs, rising rents, and strain on local health centers and roads. The arrival of contracting companies and the provision of precarious jobs have also created internal tensions among families.

In the Sierra de Ancasti, inhabitants have filed fifty formal objections against technical briefings for the El Alto project. Community members have criticized provincial authorities and Governor Raúl Jalil for a lack of transparency regarding water balances and cumulative risks, leading to organized assemblies to defend local watersheds.