Goldcorp staff face criminal charges over mine pollution after CAFOD investigation Single gift
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August 16 2010. Last updated June 12 2012
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Authorities in Honduras last week filed criminal charges against senior officials of Entremares – a wholly-owned subsidiary of mining giant Goldcorp - based on evidence from aid agency CAFOD of severe water contamination.
The data gathered at the San Martin gold mine in the Siria Valley area of
Honduras revealed dangerously high acidity and metal concentrations in water flowing into a local stream. The information uncovered by CAFOD was part of an official water monitoring report at the mine but was not disclosed or acted upon by the Honduran Government’s department for mineral resources or Goldcorp.
CAFOD Policy Analyst Sonya Maldar said: “We welcome the news that action has finally been taken against Goldcorp on the basis of CAFOD’s evidence and local community concerns. Given that Entremares is applying for new mining permits in Honduras, it is essential to get to the bottom of events at San Martin and ensure that the people of Honduras don’t pay the price of pollution in the long term.”
Charges have been filed against two executives from Entremares for contaminating water and damage to the environment. The accusations against
Christian Pineda and Renan Santamaria are that their actions contravened
Article 181 of the Honduran criminal code, and if convicted, they could face imprisonment of up to six years.
If Goldcorp had been open about the problems, they could have avoided this action Professor Paul Younger
Gustavo Adolfo Torres Garay, a former senior official within DEFOMIN (the
Honduran Department for the Administration of Mineral Resources) has been charged with breach of official duties for failing to act on evidence of pollution.
This is in contravention of Article 349 of the Honduran criminal code with a punishment of up to three years and disqualification from office.
Goldcorp is one of the world’s largest gold mining companies and has consistently denied that the San Martin mine has caused environmental damage. On top of the undisclosed water monitoring report, Newcastle
University experts also gathered visual evidence of acid mine drainage close to the mine site.
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The Newcastle study was carried out in 2009 in response to a request for technical support from the Honduran authorities.
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(33 kB) section During a visit to Honduras in November 2008, Paul Younger, Professor of
Hydrogeochemical Engineering at Newcastle University and a renowned expert on mine water management, noted signs of acidic mine drainage close to the mine site.
Professor Paul Younger said: “Goldcorp’s denial of pollution at San Martin has done the company no favours. If Goldcorp had been open about the problems, they could have avoided this action by the Honduran Environmental Prosecutor.
The effects of acid mine drainage can continue for long after a mine has closed so the company must publicly commit to long term monitoring and maintenance at the site to prevent a recurrence of such pollution in the future.”
During a subsequent visit, Dr Adam Jarvis and Dr Jaime Amezaga, also of
Newcastle University, saw unequivocal evidence that highly acidic and metal-rich water had discharged from one part of the mine
