These participatory spaces were conducive to listening to the community, clarifying doubts, and gathering concerns related to the process that begins with the construction of the Early Environmental Closure Plan. These meetings ensured an open, transparent, and participatory process in which the community had the opportunity to express their opinions and be heard.

During the second roundtable, more than 250 people participated in the sessions, including community leaders, union representatives, and local residents.

The sessions were attended by the Ombudsman's Office, the Deputy Attorney General for Environmental, Mining, Energy and Agrarian Affairs, and the Cesar Mining Secretariat. Local authorities also participated, including the mayor of La Jagua de Ibirico, Leonardo Hernández.

During these meetings, Prodeco Group presented the stages defined for the construction of the Early Environmental Closure Plan, as well as the methodological proposal to advance new spaces for participation with the communities in the framework of its preparation.

According to the Guideline for the Preparation of the Closure and Abandonment Plan for Mining Projects of the National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA, 2022), the overall objective of the Early Environmental Closure Plan must be:

...Aimed at ensuring the physical and chemical stability of the area involved, the safe and suitable use of the land after the mine has been exploited, and compliance with the social activities proposed in the environmental management and control instrument, with a view to ensuring that, at the end of the project's useful life, its activities are closed down and its facilities abandoned, guaranteeing minimal environmental impact and the well-being of the communities in the area of influence, as well as the surrounding ecosystems."

Stakeholder groups in the area of influence of the La Jagua Mine and the Calenturitas Mine

• Mayors’ offices
• Municipal Legal representatives
• Municipal councils
• Governor’s offices
• Environmental authorities
• JAC
• Associations
• Leaders
• Ethnic communities and the community at large

Unions and neighboring mining companies

The Early Environmental Closure Plan includes the following stages:

• Preparation: Phase in which studies are carried out and activities are structured in accordance with current environmental regulations. (Current stage in 2025).
• Approval: Begins with the filing of the Plan with the Environmental Authority and its subsequent approval.
• Implementation: Begins once the Plan is approved and includes the execution of the activities scheduled for closure.
• Post-closure: This corresponds to the maintenance, monitoring, and follow-up of the defined activities, ensuring their long-term effectiveness.

We have designed a participation roadmap with different phases that accompany the preparation and presentation of the Early Environmental Closure Plan to the National Environmental Licensing Authority (ANLA). This roadmap includes community meetings to inform, engage in dialogue, and gather input from the early stages through to approval.

Although the building of the Plan concludes with its approval by the ANLA, the process of engaging with communities continues. During the implementation of the Plan, opportunities for participation will be maintained to reaffirm our commitment to a responsible and participatory environmental closure.

The phases of our participation workshops are as follows:

• Phase 1 – First stage: Opening of the process, presentation of context, content, and dialogue with the community.
• Phase 2 – Second stage: Sharing of progress and integration of contributions to each topic.
• Phase 3 – Third stage: Presentation of preliminary results of the Early Environmental Closure Plan.
• Phase 4 – Fourth stage: Dissemination of the Early Environmental Closure Plans approved by the ANLA.