Peru small-scale miners begin protests against formalization process

About 77,000 of Peru's estimated 100,000 informal miners have expressed a will to formalize their concessions, said Daniel Urresti, the cabinet chief's high commissioner for formalization. The formalization process will begin in two months with miners who have already applied, he said.
Miners operating in rivers, national parks and other protected areas will not be allowed to register their concessions, Urresti said.
"There's no way we can formalize those who are polluting rivers and dumping mercury into the area," Urresti told state news agency Andina. "That's why it's prohibited here and in China. This is not negotiable."
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