Health or jobs: Peruvian mining town at a crossroads
In 2009, the gigantic smelter that was the economic heartbeat of La Oroya went bankrupt, forcing residents to leave in droves and bringing local commerce to its knees.
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View of a mining waste hill close to the Metalurgia Busines Peru metallurgical complex in the city of La Oroya, located at 3,745 meters above sea level. (Photo by Ernesto BENAVIDES / AFP)
By NewVision Reporter
Journalists @NewVision
The Peruvian mining city of La Oroya, one of the most polluted places in the world, is seeking to reopen a heavy metal smelter that poisoned residents for almost a