Zeina Nasser
“greenarea.info”
How far would you go to defend a cause you believe in?… Environmental activists act, each in his/her way for a better planet.
Yesterday, in Buenos Aires, seven “Greenpeace” members climbed the iconic Obelisk, to demand the closing of a gold mine in western Argentina where there was a cyanide spill in 2015, a spokesman for the environmental group said.
“Macri will save the glaciers!”, was the banner the activists hanged after climbing the 40-meter monument. The message they wanted to pass, and actually the demand, is that the President of Argentina will enforce the 2010 Glaciers act, which bans extractive activities, such as mining and oil production, in glacial, periglacial and permafrost areas to protect water resources.
In September 2015, a leak at the Veladero gold mine on the Andean ridge spilled 1,072 cubic meters of cyanide-polluted water, Barrick Gold estimated.
Provincial officials fined Barrick Gold and the Argentine courts are still investigating the spill, The “Latin America Herald Tribune” mentions.
“Greenpeace” mentioned that “Mining companies such as (Canada’s) Barrick Gold at Veladero should not be allowed to operate in the periglacial area, where they put rivers at risk of pollution as they did last year with a spill of 1 million liters (265,190 gallons) of cyanide-contaminated water.”
In March 2016, the Government of San Juan province in Argentina has announced that it intends to fine Barrick Gold $9m in connection with cyanide spill at the Veladero mine in September 2015.
On 13 September 2015, the mine detected a faulty valve on a pipe carrying processing solution at its heap leach pad, “Mining Technology” mentions.
The golden mine of Veladero in San Juan, exploited by Canadian company Barrick Gold.
Due to the valve failure, a solution comprising fresh water and diluted cyanide was released into the Potrerillos River.
Immediately, the company notified the authorities and local stakeholders about the incident and intensified its water monitoring activities in the river system downstream from the mine.
Greenpeace Argentina shared the following photos and post on its Facebook page.
Will it be able to change anything? Will the mine be closed?… Will “Macri save the glaciers” … we have to wait and see, but in all cases, the environmental activists are still protesting against all actions which harm the beautiful and necessary glaciers, and the environment of course.
