Senator requests Belén be named direct influence area for Kachi mining project

During a public hearing regarding the environmental impact report for the exploitation stage of the Kachi mining project in El Peñón, provincial Senator Soledad Blas formally requested that the Belén Department be recognized as a direct area of influence.

Currently, the company's documentation limits the direct area of influence to the Antofagasta de la Sierra Department, classifying the rest of the province, including Belén, as an indirect influence zone. Senator Blas argued that this delimitation is incomplete, as it relies solely on the physical location of the project rather than its environmental, social, economic, and logistical effects.

The request highlights the proximity of Villa Vil and Laguna Blanca to the project site and their connection via Provincial Route 43, which serves as a primary corridor for transport, supplies, and services. Blas emphasized that recognizing Belén as a direct influence area would ensure its communities are included in employment programs, training, local supplier contracting, and other socio-economic opportunities generated by the project.