Chinchillas gnaw at Gold Fields' Salares Norte plans again

A local chinchilla population is biting at Gold Fields' US$1 billion Salares Norte project in Chile, as the country's Superintendence of the Environment (MSA) said it issued measures against the miner to guarantee the rodents' protection. 

As part of the Salares Norte environmental impact study, Gold Fields was ordered to rescue and relocate all chinchillas in the area. 

Gold Fields started dismantling rock at area number 3 at the mine site, but SMA said it was uncertain whether all chinchillas had been relocated. Therefore, the South African miner did not comply with the rescue and relocation plan for the endangered species, according to the government agency.

Until it proves the absence of chinchillas in the project area, located in the Atacama mountain range, Gold Fields is not allowed to continue activities at the rock site.

"The issuance of these measures is justified because, in the progress report of the actions committed by the owner, no certainty has been given about the absence of a population of chinchillas to be able to proceed with the dismantling in rock area number 3," superintendent Marie Claude Plumer said. 

"Here the objective is to be able to guarantee the protection of this species that is in critical danger and whose protection is part of the measures contemplated in the RCA [Environmental Qualification Resolution] of the project."

In March, Salares Norte delivered its first gold. The project has taken 13 years to bring into production from discovery, with the local rodent population proving a particular hurdle over the years. Salares Norte is expected to produce 220,000-240,000oz gold equivalent at a cost of US$1,840-2,010/oz this year.

In 2020, Gold Fields started an initial rescue operation, but efforts were put on hold after two of four chinchillas caught for relocation died. The authorities recently gave the miner permission to start its relocation efforts again.

However, Gold Fields' chief executive, Mike Fraser, said earlier this month during a conference call that no chinchillas have been captured since restarting the program.

"It is quite conceivable that the chinchillas moved on," Fraser said.