Mina Proaño
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Mina Proaño, a silver mine located in central México, is one of the world's largest and most profitable silver mines. This is an underground mining operation and is situated almost inside the city of Fresnillo, Zacatecas. This mining site is run by Peñoles a México City-based company that is the world’s largest silver mining firm. In 2004, Mina Proaño produced almost 32 million troy ounces (995,000 kg) of silver. Currently the grade of the silver concentrate is 632 g/ton.
Mina Proaño is called also Mina Fresnillo, the exploitation of the mineral ore can be traced upon 1550. As usual where are large mining operations local environmental activists claim that the mining activity, which use large quantities of cyanide, have contaminated the water sources, leading to the disturbance of the ecological stability, appearance of illnesses among cattle and people and polluted airs. But in order to dimish the ecological impact of the operations the company has invested a great amount of resources in the installation of environmental friendly equipments and machinery and actually has a certification of it Environmental Management System according to ISO 14000 and also has awarded by the ecological Mexican authority with a Clean Industry Registration. Also the company has founded an Ecological Park, which is a sanctuary for more than hundred species of mammals, birds and reptilian, it was designed a public area (Parque los Jales) in 2004 that includes lakes, paths and open areas for physical exercise and relaxation, this facilities was built in the land occupied by the former tailings pond.
