El Abra, a Freeport-McMoRan Company, Receives Mining Council Award for Efforts to Preserve Local Indigenous Culture

March 10, 2015 /3BL Media/ - El Abra Mine in Chile recently received its second award recognizing efforts to promote the heritage, culture and way of life of Alto Loa indigenous communities near its operations.

The 2014 Best Practices in Mining Award came from Chile’s Mining Council. Chilean President Michelle Bachelet presented the award to El Abra General Manager of Administration John Gordon at the Council’s annual dinner and awards program in January.

El Abra was one of three finalists considered for the award. A judging panel that included the Minister of Mining and several community development experts selected El Abra for the award for its Protection of Heritage, Indigenous Customs and Ways of Life program. The site received an award for the same program in 2013 from the Association of Industrialists of Antofagasta.

The program supports several initiatives focused on the Alto Loa in the areas of cultural heritage, education, environmental protection, economic development, among others. One initiative includes the construction of a solar panel plant that will provide 24-hour electricity to the village of Ollagüe near the border with Bolivia. Another supports a community laundry run by the women of Chiu Chiu who provide laundry services for El Abra mine workers.

For more information about Freeport-McMoRan’s community engagement programs, please see http://www.fcx.com/sd/community/indig_people.htm.

For more information on all of their social, safety and environmental program, please see their 2013 Working Toward Sustainable Development report.