The government Chile has rejected plans a billion-dollar mining project because it would disrupt marine life. The area that was threatened mining is home to 80 per cent the world's Humboldt penguin. Other creatures that live the waters include blue whales, fin whales and sea otters. A mining company called Andes Iron had wanted to extract millions tons iron and copper in the north Chile. It also wanted to build a new port to facilitate the mining process. Chile's Environment Minister told reporters: "I firmly believe development, but it cannot be the cost of our environmental heritage or cause risk to health, or to unique ecological areas the world."
Chile's National Mining Society said the decision was bad news mining and the country. It said the mining project was essential the economic development the region and the country. The controversial mining project would have generated $2.5 billion revenue. Government ministers said the mining company had not shown the full negative impact the mining project the local environment. It also questioned the project's finances. The Environmental Minister said: "There are deficiencies basic information and insufficiencies mitigation, compensation, and reparation measures, meaning we believe that the eventual impacts have not been properly taken care ."
