The outgoing geology and mining director says that there are not enough resources to sufficiently monitor mining in Colombia, RCN Radio reported Wednesday.
“Ingeominas [Colombia’s Institute of Geology and Mining] has stayed behind the growth of mining in this country,” said Andres Ruiz, who officially announced his resignation as director of Ingeominas January 18.
The resources and personnel to do inspections are insufficient, Ruiz acknowledged to La F.M. Radio, especially in light of the recent mine explosions which have taken Colombian lives.
“We respond to 6,000 mining titles across the country and we only have an operating capacity of 70 people to do 9,000 inspections a year in each mine, it’s literally impossible,” the official told La F.M.
“Ingeominas works with $11.9 million a year, and we need another $64.7 million to operate acceptably,” said Ruiz.
The former director of Ingeominas cited insufficient resources and disagreements with Mines and Energy Minister Carlos Rodado Noriega as the reasons for abandoning his post.
Family members of five miners who died in an explosion in the central Colombian La Escondida mine Tuesday say they will sue the state for neglecting to carry out security checks.
The mine tragedy is the second in a week. On January 26, 21 miners died in a similar accident in the north of the country.