The Open Pit and the Great Green Macaw in Costa Rica
The Open Pit and the Great Green Macaw in Costa Rica
Saturday, 29 August 2015 00:00
By Lynn Holland, Council on Hemispheric Affairs
Reading about the struggle to regulate the mining industry in Latin America can be downright discouraging. The practice of open pit mining in particular has had damaging effects on the environment and usually results in the involuntary loss of land owned by small farmers who live near the site. When these farmers protest, they usually lose out because their leaders at the national level are counting on mining operations to fuel the costs of economic growth, provide jobs, and bring in much needed revenue for social programs. Such has been the case in Peru, Guatemala, Colombia and in most Latin American countries.
The story of how Costa Ricans implemented a nationwide ban against new open pit mining has turned out to be a very different story, however. With a population of less than five million, Costa Rica is one of the smallest countries in Central America and has faced its share of dramatic challenges including mounting debt and persistent poverty. But in one important respect, Costa Rica is leading the way in the Western Hemisphere – that of standing up for the environment against the multibillion dollar metal mining industry.
The Case Against Infinito Gold
In 2002, Costa Rica became the first country in the Western Hemisphere to enact a restrictive ban on new open pit mining projects. This was accomplished through decree by President Abel Pacheco who also called for the cancellation of several existing mining contracts. As he explained, "We have many reasons for rescinding these contracts, and if they sue us for compensation, it will be cheaper than paying for the loss of the country and the improvement of its environment."
At the time, revelations about the damaging effects of open pit mining were making it even more controversial. As Costa Rican biologist Jorge Lobo tells it, the process involves the use of toxic chemicals including cyanide to leach tiny flecks of gold and other minerals from out of tons of rock. The potential for leakage of these chemicals poses a serious threat to the surrounding environment. Leach pads maintained at the bottom of tailings ponds where waste rock is stored can crack as a result of seismic activity or heavy rainfall and cause the contamination of rivers, ground water, and soil surrounding the site. In addition, the use of dynamite to dig out large craters in the earth and the practice of deforesting the area can cause serious damage to ecosystems.[1] Not only is Costa Rica known to have one of the most diverse life zones "in a small territory" anywhere in the world, it is also highly dependent on the earnings from eco-tourism built around this fabulous diversity. In fact, tourism accounts for thousands of jobs in hundreds of local communities and earns nearly $2 billion annually while metallic mining has played only a minimal role in the country’s development.
More:
http://www.truth-out.org/news/item/32527-the-open-pit-and-the-great-green-macaw-in-costa-rica
