A few days after the approval of the San Jorge Project, which promotes large-scale metalliferous mining in Mendoza, criticisms against the sanctioned measure persist and reflections on its impact emerge.
The project, which favors Minera San Jorge to the detriment of local society’s interests, sparked a massive march from various Mendoza regions to the provincial capital.
A Controversial Approval
The project was approved with 29 votes in favor, five against, and one abstention, despite social rejection and peaceful protests repressed by security forces.
Governor Alfredo Cornejo, a political ally of Javier Milei, supported the process, intensifying the perception of imposition and lack of social license.
Weaknesses in the Environmental Impact Report
Technical reports from the General Department of Irrigation, the Foundation of the National University of Cuyo (FUNC), and IADIZA-CONICET pointed out serious shortcomings in the Environmental Impact Report (EIR):
- Use of outdated water data (2008-2010).
- Lack of consideration of climate change and its projections.
- Insufficient samples to assess the risk of acid rock drainage (only 4, when there should be dozens).
- Uncertainty about connectivity with the Yalguaraz/Lomada aquifer and the Mendoza River basin.
The risk of contamination with heavy metals such as arsenic, cadmium, and lead could affect trophic networks and water for thousands of years. This lack of certainty activates the precautionary principle, which states that the activity should not proceed until environmental uncertainties are clarified.
Indigenous Rights Violated
The project intends to proceed without the consent of the indigenous communities in the area. The Huarpe community was not consulted in a free, prior, and informed manner, violating the ILO Convention 169.
Voices of Resistance
In conversation with Página/12, social leaders expressed their rejection:
- María Teresa “Guni” Cañas, a leader of the water assemblies, stated:
“The government does not have social license. Wherever you go, the issue of water is present. Legislators are part of a power structure that wants to impose large-scale mining.”
She also denounced the concentration of power by Cornejo, who controls the Executive, Legislature, autonomous entities, and the National University of Cuyo.
- Marcelo Giraud, a member of the Popular Assembly for Water, warned:
“The main risk is contaminating the Uspallata aquifer and the Mendoza River, a source of drinking water for the northern Oasis, the largest agro-industrial hub in the province.”
Giraud recalled previous harmful mining activities in Mendoza, such as Sierra Pintada and Mina Huemul, and compared the situation to international disasters like Mount Polley (Canada, 2014) and Brumadinho (Brazil, 2015).
Social Mobilization and Historical Memory
Marches continue in Uspallata, Tunuyán, San Carlos, San Rafael, and General Alvear, echoing the resistance of 2011, when the provincial legislature rejected mining projects after strong social opposition.
Today, leaders point out that the political context has changed: the advance of neoliberalism and climate denialism have weakened the political class’s listening, prioritizing economic interests over environmental protection.
The San Jorge Project exposes a growing tension between large-scale mining and water defense in Mendoza. Legislative approval, despite technical reports and lack of consultation with indigenous communities, reinforces the perception of political imposition.
Social and scientific resistance remains firm, reminding that water is a common good and that large-scale mining, without environmental guarantees, threatens the health, biodiversity, and future of the province.
Cover photo: Diario Contexto
