Introduction

On January 30th 2000, the dam containing toxic waste material from the Baia Mare Aurul
gold mine in North Western Romania burst and released 100,000 cubic meters of waste water,
heavily contaminated with cyanide, into the Lapus and Somes tributaries of the river Tisza,
one of the biggest in Hungary.
Cyanide is highly toxic, and is lethal to humans and other species even in very small doses.
The cyanide contaminated water has now been carried to the river Danube which flows
through Serbia, Bulgaria and Romania.
The Hungarian Ministry for the Environment, stated on February 14th that: "Besides the
ecological damage, the cyanide pollution in the river Tisza meant also significant threat to the
human health, because in the upper part of the Tisza the cyanide concentration was 100 times
more than the limit value for drinking water."
Reports from the area indicate that there has been extensive damage to the river ecosystem
and its fauna. The Hungarian Environment Ministry has stated that, between Tiszafuered and
Szolnok, 80 and 100 per cent of fish stock will be killed. Other wildlife has also been
affected, including Mute Swans, Black Cormorants, foxes and other carnivores. (Sources:
MIT, Nepszabadsag, Magyar Hirlap, Vilaggazdasag)
The dam was built as recently as 1998. The gold mine itself is jointly owned by Romanian
interests and Esmeralda, an Australian company based in Perth.
What caused the incident?
Reasons for the incident are still under investigation. It is clear that questions about the dam's
safety have been raised in the recent past, despite claims by the Romanian Government that:
"unusual meteorological conditions caused the dam to burst. High temperatures, never
recorded before during the last century, caused a quick thaw which provoked a big discharge
of water into the dam". (Foreign Affairs Minister for the Environment, El Pais, 10/2/00)
1999: The Romanian environment authorities alerted the management of the Baia Mare mine
to the potential risks associated with the dam after former employees of the company
revealed that, during the construction of the tailing basin, serious mistakes were made. The
basin was lined with a film, but the walls were made of soil containing high amounts of sand
instead of rocky materials making it unstable.
Autumn 1999: Five cows in the nearby village of Zazar died after water contaminated with
cyanide was released from the Baia Mare mine's pipe system. Baia Mare claimed it was a
result of "material mistakes" and paid for the cows.
Deputy Ilie Mihut from neighbouring Nagybozinta reported that the dam's wall was leaking
during December 1999. Baia Mare paid people for covering up the traces of the leakage.
(Sources: Magyar Hirlap vom 10.02.00, Nepszabadsag, Tibori Szabo Zoltan, 09.02.00)
Extent of the damage.

The European Environmental Agency describes the accident as the "worst case scenario for
the region's rivers". The Agency's own research has found levels of cyanide four times higher
than first indications suggested. (ENDS, 15/2/00)
To date, little is known about the long term environmental impacts of the incident. However,
toxic and bio-accumulative substances, such as heavy metals, are common in wastes from
mining activities.
On the 19th February, The Hungarian Environment Ministry reported that Lake Tisza in the
Hortobgy National Park, that has recently become a World Heritage site, has been affected
as well as areas that are protected under the Ramsar Convention and reserves that form part
of the MAB programme of UNESCO.
Who claims responsibility?
Historically, the mining industry has repeatedly tried to avoid liability for these types of
incidents. Brett Montgomery, chairman of Esmeralda Exploration, that owns 50 % of the
mine, is trying to reduce the importance of the incident saying that reports have been 'grossly
exaggerated', that it is not an environmental catastrophe and environmental impacts are due to
"a number of unrelated events." PERTH, Australia (AP) - 02/10
Cyanide in gold production
Since the 1960s when 'cyanide heap leaching' was introduced to the mining process, the toxic
impact of gold mining has rocketed. The process involves pouring a cyanide solution over
crushed ore. The cyanide solution percolates, dissolves the gold and carries it to solution
ponds. This technique requires the use of large quantities of highly toxiccyanide. The cyanide
solution is either reused, stored in a dam ordirectly discharged into rivers or the sea. Toxic
heavy metals and metalloids, such as arsenic, occur frequently in ores and can be released
with crushing and leaching.
Previous mining spills
There are regular incidents involving cyanide in mining. 'Tailings' dams, where the
contaminated waste water from the mining process is stored, are a frequent cause of serious
environmental disasters.
World-wide
Mining companies violate even minimal environmental standards all over the world and
destroy large areas of nature. Habitats are destroyed and groundwater supplies and river
systems are polluted, particularly in developing countries, where mining companies often
ignore environmental standards. Local inhabitants of the mines are also often affected by the
industry and have been evicted from their land or affected by the pollution that results from
the mining process.
Conclusions
Greenpeace believes that:

The Baia Mare Aurul gold mine in Romania should be closed down until it there is no risk of
further incidents.
Mining companies (in this case Esmeralda and State of Romania) should be held responsible
for all damages and pay all the costs relating to the incident.
International rules should be established for mining, including:
i) full liability for mining companies for all the potential damages both to people and the
environment.
ii) a ban on mining in areas of special environmental interest or close to populated areas.
iii) standards for mining operations that cover transport, storage and treatment of waste and
products.
Due to the large-scale destruction of the environment as a result of mining, the need for
mining should be reassessed and the goal should be to reduce the need for raw materials as
much as possible. This can be done through better standards that include: more efficient use
of raw materials (environmental designing), changing consumption patterns (knowledge and
service intensive products instead of material intensive products) and through recycling of
metals. Gold, for example, is used mainly for jewellery and national banks already have large
reserves of gold and many are already planning to sell large amounts of it.