Last Wednesday, a public hearing was held in Barreal, Calingasta, convened by the Secretariat of Environment and Sustainable Development of San Juan, regarding a bridge to be built by Glencore Pachón in the La Junta area, over the Los Patos River.

The meeting took place in a hall in Barreal with the attendance of the Mayor of Calingasta, Sebastián Carabajal and his team, the Director of Environmental Assessment and Impact, Elizabeth Soria, and technicians from Glencore Pachón, along with around thirty members of the community interested in learning about the details of the project, its impact on the territory, and its inhabitants.

In an atmosphere of keen interest, attendees inquired about the hydrological studies conducted, the scheduling of planned interruptions during construction, the need to coordinate with tourism providers, and the generation of local employment and benefits.

As part of the process established by the authority for the approval of a public work, Glencore Pachón submitted, with the authorization of the Provincial Directorate of Highways, a General Environmental Impact Statement for the construction of the bridge aimed at identifying and preventing potential impacts on the environment. Likewise, the procedure also requires informing the community properly so that beneficiaries can make inquiries about its development.

This bridge is part of the program of works planned by the Provincial Highways for the coming years. Glencore Pachón will be responsible for fully financing the project, which will contribute to providing a better quality of life, based on increased traffic safety and uninterrupted use regardless of external conditions.

The project is part of the positive impact of the El Pachón mining project on Calingasta, as it will enable permanent and safer access for its residents and tourists. The new passage will also benefit various activities such as tourism, livestock farming, agriculture, mining, fishing, and high mountain sports, as well as recreation and leisure in general.

Finally, the development of the project will create job opportunities during construction, leading to an increase in demand for services from associated local suppliers.

The construction will last for 12 months and will take place in the La Junta area, 30 meters from the current Bailey bridge, where the road crosses the Los Patos River. The bridge will have dual lanes of circulation, allowing for the maximization of standardized load capacity for Argentine routes, and its traffic will be continuous.