PROJECT

Projects

Summary of Proposed Investment

Project Number

4799

Company Name

Sinchi Wayra S.A.

Date SPI Disclosed

Jun 15, 1995

Country

Bolivia

Industry

Metals and Mining

Status

Completed

Sector

Gold

Department

Gbl Infrastructure & Natural Resources

Environmental Category

A - Significant

Previous Events

Approved : Aug 8, 1995
Signed : Sep 19, 1995
Invested : Jan 22, 1996

Project Description

SUMMARY OF PROJECT INFORMATION (SPI)

Project Name Bolivia - Puquio Norte Gold Project

Region Latin America & Caribbean

Sector Mining & Extractive

Project No. 004799

Projected Board Date July 14, 1995

Company Name Compania Minera del Sur (COMSUR)

Technical Partner and/
or Major Shareholders COMSUR is a subsidiary of Minera S.A., which is 60% owned by Andean Resources, 33.3% by RTZ, 6% by IFC, and 0.7% by other shareholders.

Project Cost including
proposed IFC investment $22 million (estimated) of which IFC will provide an "A" loan of $7.5 million, a "B" loan of $5.0 million, and an income-participating loan of $0.8 million.

Location of project and
Description of site The project is located in a sparsely populated area of the lowlands region of the Nuflo de Chavez province in eastern Bolivia.

Description of Company and Purpose of Project

Compañia Minera de Sur (COMSUR), a medium-sized poly-metallic mining company in Bolivia and a current IFC client, has requested IFC''s support to finance the development of a gold mine at Puquio Norte. The project consists of the development of a small open pit mine and related facilities for the agitation leaching of ores from the mine. The project will process about 500,000 tonnes per annum of ore, yielding about 33,000 ounces per annum of gold. This will be COMSUR''s first gold mining project and will reduce the Company''s dependence on its traditional revenue sources of zinc/lead/silver. An SPI was prepared for this project and submitted to the Public Information Center (PIC) in November 1994. However, project scope was subsequently increased, which had the effect of changing the Environmental Category from "B" to "A". Accordingly, this SPI revises and updates the November 1994 SPI for this project.

Environmental Categories and Issues

This is a category A project according to IFC''s environmental review procedure Environmental issues associated with this project include impacts on surface and ground water, land disturbance, and social impacts. The sponsor has prepared an environmental assessment (EA) for the project and has engaged in the necessary public consultations. This EA demonstrates that the open pit, process facilities, waste rock piles and tailings dam will be operated so that there will be no impacts to surface and ground water. Land disturbance will be minimal and the project will include a comprehensive land restoration program upon closure. The EA indicates that the project''s social impacts are positive including the provision of electricity to the adjacent community of San Ramon.

The EA is available at the World Bank''s Public Information Center (PIC).

Date SPI sent to PIC Original: November 21, 1994
Revised: June 16, 1995


For Additional Information contact:
Corporate Relations Unit
Telephone: (202) 473-3800
Fax: (202) 676-0365
Environmental documents for this project are available at http://www.ifc.org and from the World Bank InfoShop (http://www.worldbank.org/html/pic/aboutinfo.html).

Sponsor / Cost / Location