A dialogue more candid than I expected”.
By: Amelia Deschamps (Chronicle).
February 2, 2024. A few days ago I was received by the Mining Cabinet, which is the State entity that brings together all the authorities and institutions that have to do with the subject. It is chaired by the Minister of Energy and Mines, Antonio Almonte, who was connected online at the meeting.
The meeting served to present them my documentary “In Search of the Blue Heart”, talk about its content, what it reveals and express to them my concerns and worries about the internal conditions in which the #larimar mine is located, from where our National Stone is extracted.
“It is a documentary crossed with a lot of realism and made with a lot of seriousness” expressed Minister Almonte. “For us it is extremely important that this type of documentary is disseminated” he added.
Remember that “In Search of the Blue Heart” is a documentary that explores the perspective and life of the #larimar miner through Daniel (a miner with 32 years of experience in these caves). As we get to know his story, it reveals how the work in the larimar mine unfolds, we discover the mentality and culture of the miner, while physically discovering the reality of the interior of the mine,
It was a VERY CANDID dialogue (more than I expected) where the authorities recognize the great risks and challenges, they have in front of them, especially INSIDE. But also, they took the opportunity to explain to me what they are doing and what is in the plans.
NOTE: I insist that some plans need to be accelerated and for that, it is necessary to talk openly about the subject and at the highest level. It is about protecting people’s lives.
ADVANCES AND CHALLENGES: It was 2hrs of meeting so… be patient. I will summarize JUST a few points:
For the authorities, one of the big challenges is the informality with which this mining develops, as well as the business of extraction and sale of larimar. They are working on safety training for the miners (500 out of 700 miners have been trained) and measures are being taken to regulate the entry and exit of untrained and unauthorized persons to the mine, which implies providing miners with registration and cards, as well as military control on the outskirts. (It must be understood that, in practice, although the State acts as the governing and regulating body of this mining activity, the direct “benefits” of this activity fall on the miners, which is the simplest way to explain it, and is what makes this model even more complex to understand.)
The greatest risk and vulnerability of the larimar mine is inside, and this was acknowledged by the authorities in our conversation. The main tunnel and the artisanal tunnels dug by the miners represent a major risk. These excavations have not been backfilled and no remediation plan (empty holes inside the mountain) has been implemented.
Aware of the issue, they made a tender to make a 3D modeling of the interior, to prepare the remediation plan, and the tender was deserted in the DR. They will have to go international, and THIS NEEDS ATTENTION NOW, YESTERDAY!
The minister warns that international support is likely to be needed to do the interventions in the interior.
The question is, HOW AWARE ALL THE AUTHORITIES CONNECTED WITH THE PROMOTION OF LARIMAR, ABOUT THE CONDITIONS IN WHICH THE MINE IS? Besides making nice announcements with our blue stone, how much do they know about the extraction of the stone and the resources that must be guaranteed to strengthen that structure? How much do the PRESIDENCY, TOURISM, CULTURE, PRODOMINICANA, the TRUST OF Pedernales (that talks about making tours) know? How much do they know and how much do they contribute? The reality is that, so far, most of these institutions have a “TINY” participation in the celebration of Larimar Day, then….
Since I filmed the documentary there have been important changes outside the mine: there are no longer families living in the mine area. Energy and Mines expects to finish soon the habilitation of the DINING ROOMS and BATHROOMS (new, big and necessary) after having eliminated almost all the ranchetas and rural kitchens that the groups of miners had. THERE WERE NO BATHROOMS. A medical dispensary will also be set up, with an emergency care team (I don’t have to tell you how important that is). Until now there was no emergency care team… And all this is important.
*They are still awaiting the SNS bidding process to have a small clinic in the area (for the last 3 years).
There are also plans to make a new tunnel, wider, more modest and closer to the deposits, but these plans may take time.
We talk more, much more…
THANK YOU for the openness that the authorities of the Mining Cabinet had in receiving me and my documentary “In Search of the Blue Heart” with such a good attitude.
