Water

At Cerrejón, we consider the responsible use of water a priority. We thus endeavour to largely utilise industrial or mining water in our mining activities, which are not suitable for human or animal consumption or crop irrigation.

92% of the water used in our mining processes comes from rainwater that is used to control dust emissions from our operations. The remainder is collected from the Ranchería River and its alluvial aquifer and is used for the consumption of employees and contractors and their families. In Puerto Bolívar, 100% of the water used comes from the sea and is made drinkable in a desalination plant.

As per measurements recorded by the monitoring stations of IDEAM, our efforts to protect and conserve of watersheds within the mine have contributed positively to the flow of the Rancheria river.

We monitor the quality and quantity of water in the water bodies we interact with. Twenty-nine sensors provide real-time data on the state of surface and groundwater and help us measure various parameters to ensure that our activity complies with Colombian regulations.