Costa Rica Bans Open-Pit Mining
Minister of Environment Signs Measure on World Environment
Day
June 7, 2002
San Jose, Costa Rica - The government of Costa Rica
has taken a major step in protecting its natural environment
by placing a ban on new open pit mining. President Abel Pacheco
signed the measure this week as part of the World Environment
Day celebrations. According to Minister of Environment Carlos
Manuel Rodriguez, Costa Ricans simply are not interested in
opening their country for mineral exploitation at the cost of
the environment.
The executive decree places a complete moratorium on new open
pit mining projects and calls for cancellation of the three
contracts already in place. This signifies an uncertain future
for one operational and two planned mines in Costa Rica. Referring
to the Decree, President Abel Pacheco stated that "if the price
for protecting the environment" is paying damages, Costa Rica
will do so. "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 its environment."
Large-scale open pit mining is environmentally destructive
for several reasons. In addition to digging a vast crater in
the earth, thereby stripping it of vital forests and ecosystems
open pit mining often results in acid drainage. Rock formations
rich in minerals can have high sulfur content. Sulfuric minerals
are less stable when exposed to the atmosphere, acid drainage
contaminates surface and ground waters and is especially problematic
in a tropical climate with heavy rainfall, such as Costa Rica's.
Open pit gold mines often use toxic chemicals such as cyanide
to leach metals from the rock. This process can pollute the
surrounding soil and water, and harms not only animals and aquatic
life but humans as well.
One of the contracts in place in Costa Rica is for an open
pit cyanide gold mine in Bellavista, Miramar. The Canadian company
Wheaton River Minerals (WRM) currently owns the Bellavista project.
WRM acquired it in 1997 and received a final environmental permit
in early 2001 despite its lack of tropical mining experience
and the serious adverse environmental impacts discussed above.
Low gold prices forced WRM to delay construction. Glencairn
Explorations, another Canadian company, recently agreed to purchase
the rights to the project. AIDA (the Interamerican Association
for Environmental Defense) and Costa Rican and Canadian environmental
groups have vigorously opposed the development of this mine
because of the potential for environmental harm.
Representatives of WRM and Glencairn have stated that the
Costa Rican decree does not affect the Bellavista mine project.
While this is true in that the moratorium does not apply to
projects that have been approved, the decree makes clear Costa
Rica's commitment to negotiate the terms of termination with
existing concessionaires.
Contact Information:
Anna Cederstav, Staff Scientist, AIDA and Earthjustice
(USA) 510-550-6748
Stella Bastidas, Sierra Legal Defense Fund (Canada) 604-685-5618
Rafael Gonzalez, Justicia para la Naturaleza (Costa Rica)
506-207-4227
