The Association of Municipalities of Honduras has launched community discussion of a bill for a new mining law to be tabled in Congress later this year. José Oseguera, mayor of Siguatepeque in the central valley of Comayagua, told Tierramérica that 81 of the country’s 298 municipalities have mineral reserves, and it is essential to promote community participation in the exploitation of these resources.

The chairman of the congressional committee on mining, Donaldo Reyes, explained that many of these municipalities have reserves of iron ore, gold, silver, lead, zinc and opals, among other minerals.

The bill must be backed by social consensus before it is presented in Congress. Communities will be given the opportunity to express their opinions, weigh the benefits of mineral exploitation, and contribute to environmental protection plans to mitigate the impact of mining industry activity, Reyes told Tierramérica.