January 30th, 2014 Dear members of the press, Please find attached the press release: Mining Watch Romania Reports – On overview on multiple gold and silver mining projects Mining Watch Romania releases three detailed reports on several mining projects proposed in Romania for the exploitation of gold, silver and polymetallic deposits. Unlike the Rosia Montana mining project which targets Europe’s largest gold and silver deposit in Europe, 13 other mining projects of smaller scale are rapidly and quietly undergoing licensing procedures. For more information, please read the attached press release. Best wishes, Stefania Simion Mining Watch Romania Tel/fax: 0364 104706 B-dul 21 Decembrie 1989, Nr. 60/32 400124 Cluj-Napoca E-mail: [email protected] Web: miningwatch.ro Mining Watch Romania Reports – An overview on multiple gold and silver mining projects 30 January 2014 - Mining Watch Romania releases three detailed reports on several mining projects proposed in Romania for the exploitation of gold, silver and polymetallic deposits. Unlike the Rosia Montana mining project which targets Europe’s largest gold and silver deposit in Europe, 13 other mining projects of smaller scale are rapidly and quietly undergoing licensing procedures. There are 7 mining projects built on the shady cooperation between Minvest and Gabriel Resources ever since 1997: Roşia Montană, Bucium, Certej, Deva-Muncel, Băiţa Crăciuneşti, Brad and Bolcana. Beside them, 6 other new mining projects could turn the host communities into areas irreversibly affected by pollution, chronic diseases and incapability to benefit in the foreseeable future from development based on agriculture and tourism. Mining Watch Romania is a network of NGOs and grassroots initiatives and monitors the planning, licensing and development of mining projects, focusing on the deficiencies caused by this type of mono-industrial development with irreversible effects on the environment and affected communities. The report entitled Baia Mare – A preview of the disaster caused by the mining industry presents the main mining activities undertaken in the Baia Mare area in the past 20 years. The report starts with elaborating on mining activities carried out by the former state company in partnership with the Australian company Esmeralda. The report then recounts into details the circumstances of the cyanide spill from 2000 as well as the new attempts by Romaltyn Mining to restart the mining operations to extract gold using cyanide. The report Certej - The inability of the authorities to critically analyze new mining projects details mining operations conducted in Certeju de Sus of Hunedoara County. The study describes the irregularities during the highly controversial mining permit transfer, from the state to the private investor company and the subsequent sale at record amounts of the project to Eldorado Gold. The Certej project, although less familiar to the public than the one in Rosia Montana, has the same original network of shareholders. The project is marked by irregularities in the approval procedure and successive political interference in obtaining necessary permits. Last in the series, the report Transylvania – a minefield presents other mining projects by indicating that the industry, through powerful lobbying of state institutions and advertising campaigns has the ability to diminish the pressure of local communities and organizations. The co-participation of the civil society in decision-making is frequently denied by authorities. Furthermore, in the case of smaller projects, local communities have significant difficulties in accessing the technical and legal expertise necessary to the understanding and informed assessment of the real impact of mining. In order to accurately document the progress of each mining project, the report is the result of field visits, local media coverage and numerous requests for public information. Some of the requests were granted by the authorities following court decisions that imposed their publication. The authors of the report, Roxana Pencea, Stefania Simon and Tudor Bradatan, experienced activists in monitoring the Rosia Montana Project show that authorities avoid providing public information relevant to the activity of mining companies. Moreover, with very few exceptions, public authorities manifest an unnecessarily servile attitude towards mining operators. The legislative enclavisation of the mining industry along with the opaque attitude of central and local authorities are threatening to transform Transylvania into Europe’s most impacted region by immense open pits and cyanide tailing ponds. The reports can be read and downloaded here (Romanian version): miningwatch.ro/rapoarte/ For more information please contact Roxana Pencea, mobile: +40 723 024300, email: [email protected]
Posted on: Thu, 30 Jan 2014 13:30:17 +0000
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