Environmental groups oppose Calero Risso plant

The building of a cement plant at Calero Risso in Paraguay, proposed by Jiménez Gaona y Lima under the name of Cementos Concepcion, has met with further disapproval from environmental groups.

The area includes the Risso Cave, where important fossils were discovered, including microfossils that are 550m years old and said to be the first organisms on the planet with a skeleton. The Paraguayan Federation of Speleology has asked Mades to protect the cave.

Cementos Concepción, led by Jorge Méndez, former president of Industria Nacional de Cemento (INC), is investing US$180m in establishing cement plant at the location.