Peru has declared a state of emergency at a mine near Lima over fears that arsenic, lead and cadmium from its tailings dam could pollute the main water supply for the capital.

Gold Hawk Resources, of Canada, confirmed the government has asked it to stop operations and relocate its processing plant and tailings dam from the Coricanca mine in the Tamboraque hillside region, which has been weakened by seismic activity and subterranean water filtration.