The San José mine in the Mexican state of Oaxaca is operating normally, Minera Cuzcatlán, a subsidiary of Canada’s Fortuna Silver, reported in response to comments from the environment ministry, Semarnat.

This month, Semarnat notified Minera Cuzcatlán of its intention to reassess the Environmental Impact Statement (MIA) which was approved in December 2021.

In a statement, Minera Cuzcatlán said the procedure does not affect day-to-day operations at the mine. He added that Fortuna Silver “takes legal measures to protect its more than 1,200 employees, a value chain made up of more than 600 companies, including 150 from the region, and an annual revenue of more than 600 million pesos. . [US$32 millones] which benefits more than 30,000 people in the central valleys of Oaxaca”.

He added that in 11 years of operation, the mine has been inspected 15 times by environmental entities and the Conagua water authority without any irregularities being detected.

On Jan. 5, Fortuna Silver reported that San Jose follows environmental laws and expressed concern over plans to re-evaluate the MIA’s 12-year extension, which was also upheld in federal court in November with a ruling against the semarnat.

Meanwhile, Minera Cuzcatlán reiterated its “commitment to continue working with neighboring communities to improve and expand the social benefits of its operation, through sustainability initiatives.”

The San José underground gold-silver mine began commercial operations in September 2011. In 2013, Fortuna Silver acquired a 55% interest in the Taviche Oeste claims from a local subsidiary of the Canadian company Pan American Silver.