Hatonuevo
Encyclopedia
Hatonuevo is a town and municipality of the Colombia
n Department
of La Guajira. A municipality of the La Guajira Department since 1994, it has a population of approximately 17,014 inhabitants, the majority being workers of El Cerrejon
coal mine.
The town has an extension of 347 km2 and is located an altitude of 50 meters above sea level with an average temperature of 28 °C throughout the year. It is 75 km away from the capital of La Guajira Department, Riohacha
.
and its joint venture partners, Anglo American and Glencore, became equal owners of the Cerrejon Zona Norte (CZN) coal mine in Colombia in February 2002, when they acquired International Colombia Resources Corporation (Intercor) from ExxonMobil
, which held the mine's remaining 50 per cent ownership and operational interests. A new company, Cerrejon Coal Company
, was formed, combining CZN and Carbones del Cerrejon. Situated within the mining lease is the village of Tabaco. The acquisition has proceeded in accordance with Colombian law. As part of the legal process, a survey was conducted to determine whether the people of the village wanted to sell their possession rights or be relocated. The survey established that there were 213 possession rights in Tabaco, of which 8 were municipal public properties, 151 were unoccupied lands or houses and 54 were occupied dwellings.
Some 95% of the possessors said they did not want resettlement and wanted to negotiate directly. Subsequently, 192 out of 213 possession rights were settled; and acquisition of the 8 public properties was negotiated with the municipality of Hatonuevo. In August 2001, the remaining 13 possession rights were acquired through an expropriation process ordered by national judges in accordance with the Colombian Mining Law. Court action was initiated on behalf of those people who had not agreed to sell their possession rights; and, in May 2002, the Colombian Supreme Court ordered that the municipality of Hatonuevo provide primary education and housing infrastructure support for children of this group. While schooling is provided free to students, there are associated expenses for such items as educational materials. Following a review at the end of 2002, it was decided the funding should be provided directly to the schools attended by the children. Through the Fundación Nuestra Señora del Pilar, assistance has been given to the school in Hatonuevo for a cafeteria and to the school in Patilla for school furniture and materials.
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n Department
Departments of Colombia
Colombia is an unitary republic formed by thirty-two departments and a Capital District . Each department has a Governor and a Department Assembly , elected by popular vote for a four-year period. The governor cannot be re-elected in consecutive periods...
of La Guajira. A municipality of the La Guajira Department since 1994, it has a population of approximately 17,014 inhabitants, the majority being workers of El Cerrejon
Cerrejón
Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. It is the largest mining operation in Colombia and among the largest open-pit coal mines in the world. The legal entity managing the Cerrejón operation is known as Carbones del Cerrejón Ltd...
coal mine.
The town has an extension of 347 km2 and is located an altitude of 50 meters above sea level with an average temperature of 28 °C throughout the year. It is 75 km away from the capital of La Guajira Department, Riohacha
Riohacha
Riohacha, Rio Hacha or Rio de la Hacha , is a city in the Riohacha Municipality in the northern Caribbean Region of Colombia by the mouth of the Ranchería River and the Caribbean sea, capital city of the La Guajira Department. Founded by conquistador Nikolaus Federmann in 1535, Riohacha was named...
.
Coal mining
BHP BillitonBHP Billiton
BHP Billiton is a global mining, oil and gas company headquartered in Melbourne, Australia and with a major management office in London, United Kingdom...
and its joint venture partners, Anglo American and Glencore, became equal owners of the Cerrejon Zona Norte (CZN) coal mine in Colombia in February 2002, when they acquired International Colombia Resources Corporation (Intercor) from ExxonMobil
ExxonMobil
Exxon Mobil Corporation or ExxonMobil, is an American multinational oil and gas corporation. It is a direct descendant of John D. Rockefeller's Standard Oil company, and was formed on November 30, 1999, by the merger of Exxon and Mobil. Its headquarters are in Irving, Texas...
, which held the mine's remaining 50 per cent ownership and operational interests. A new company, Cerrejon Coal Company
Cerrejón
Cerrejón is a coal mine located in the Guajira department in the north of Colombia. It is the largest mining operation in Colombia and among the largest open-pit coal mines in the world. The legal entity managing the Cerrejón operation is known as Carbones del Cerrejón Ltd...
, was formed, combining CZN and Carbones del Cerrejon. Situated within the mining lease is the village of Tabaco. The acquisition has proceeded in accordance with Colombian law. As part of the legal process, a survey was conducted to determine whether the people of the village wanted to sell their possession rights or be relocated. The survey established that there were 213 possession rights in Tabaco, of which 8 were municipal public properties, 151 were unoccupied lands or houses and 54 were occupied dwellings.
Some 95% of the possessors said they did not want resettlement and wanted to negotiate directly. Subsequently, 192 out of 213 possession rights were settled; and acquisition of the 8 public properties was negotiated with the municipality of Hatonuevo. In August 2001, the remaining 13 possession rights were acquired through an expropriation process ordered by national judges in accordance with the Colombian Mining Law. Court action was initiated on behalf of those people who had not agreed to sell their possession rights; and, in May 2002, the Colombian Supreme Court ordered that the municipality of Hatonuevo provide primary education and housing infrastructure support for children of this group. While schooling is provided free to students, there are associated expenses for such items as educational materials. Following a review at the end of 2002, it was decided the funding should be provided directly to the schools attended by the children. Through the Fundación Nuestra Señora del Pilar, assistance has been given to the school in Hatonuevo for a cafeteria and to the school in Patilla for school furniture and materials.