Barrick -- Good news or bad news

Being from Cotui I'm torn between the pressing need for jobs in this area and the potential for environmental disaster. I know that this company is going to leave us with a huge pollution problem (way worse than Pueblo Viejo) as the gold they are now going to mine requires the use of sulphuric acid, cyanide, and other deadly chemicals. With little to no enforcement from the environmental authorities why would they even worry about doing things the right way and cleaning up after themselves?

The most important body of water in the province (Presa de Hatillo) is very close to where this mine sits and I'm not convinced there is not going to be runoff of these chemicals into this water. This will be a darn shame as this lake has huge potential.

In the end is a moot point as they have already started operations (i.e. my brother in law who is a heavy machinery operator is already contracted to work there and already started work a few weeks ago).

There are many powerful people in Cotui and other parts of the country supporting this as they will get their piece of the pie and that's all they care about. Us Cotuisanos will be left holding the proverbial polluted bag...

I think KeithR's heart must be in his mouth now hearing this news....

Not good news I fear.

Skippy1

Robert to signs are not good

The reputation firstly (This company) of other projects world wide that do have enforced regulations now working in the DR where everyone know anything goes and to hell with the people who might suffer.
I fear for the locals to be honest.

Skippy1

Skippy1 said:

I think KeithR's heart must be in his mouth now hearing this news....

Not good news I fear.

Skippy1

Click to expand...

There have been several threads over recent years (yes, years!) about the need for cleanup at Pueblo Viejo, the desire of foreign investors to resume mining there, and Barrick's interest in gold mining in the DR. I think if you run a search for them and read remarks I have made in the past, you'll find I have consistently expressed deep reservations, particularly along 2 lines.

First off, Barricks always insists that they are very responsible miners and in how they treat the environment; indeed they tout their internal policies, their endorsement of the UN Global Compact, the ICMM 10 Principles, the International Cyanide Management Code, and their ISO 14001 certifications. Yet, as Dolores noted, their public reputation doesn't seem to match their claims.

Second, until now the DR has a poor record in monitoring, inspection and enforcement of mining firms. With a player as big and powerful as Barrick, using processes that could do very serious environmental (and health) damage if best practice is not followed, you need a government watchdog for mining a bit more on its game than the DR has so far demonstrated.

In Canada there is movement to ensure Canadian companies like Barrick are held accountable: The House of Commons Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade has called on the Government of Canada to take action to end the devastating social and environmental impacts of Canadian mining operations overseas. A recent Standing Committee report calls on the Government to: (i) stop using taxpayer money to support destructive Canadian mining projects abroad; (ii) hold Canadian mining companies legally accountable for environmental and human rights violations in other countries, and; (iii) force the World Bank to respect international human rights standards. The Government has about 90 days left to respond and it would like nothing more than to sweep the report under the carpet. Action is needed to pressure the Government to adopt the Committee?s recommendations and to immediately address ongoing international scandals associated with the Canadian mining industry.

AY AY AY......ya es muy tarde pa' ablandai' habichuela.. Ese pueblo se jodio....bueno, que se va hacer...alguien tiene que pagar por los platos rotos.

I love when you write in Spanish.:cheeky:

suarezn said:

Being from Cotui I'm torn between the pressing need for jobs in this area and the potential for environmental disaster. I know that this company is going to leave us with a huge pollution problem (way worse than Pueblo Viejo) as the gold they are now going to mine requires the use of sulphuric acid, cyanide, and other deadly chemicals. With little to no enforcement from the environmental authorities why would they even worry about doing things the right way and cleaning up after themselves?

The most important body of water in the province (Presa de Hatillo) is very close to where this mine sits and I'm not convinced there is not going to be runoff of these chemicals into this water. This will be a darn shame as this lake has huge potential.

In the end is a moot point as they have already started operations (i.e. my brother in law who is a heavy machinery operator is already contracted to work there and already started work a few weeks ago).

There are many powerful people in Cotui and other parts of the country supporting this as they will get their piece of the pie and that's all they care about. Us Cotuisanos will be left holding the proverbial polluted bag...

Click to expand...

I guess this is where most people in the DR don't know yet about the changes that were taking place under Fernandez's past and present administrations...

The placement of party members to posts which they lacked credentials/understanding of, as in the past, is not followed anymore...
The people behind the state's organs in charge of dealing with present and future mining operations in the DR are fully aware of the environmental risks and damages that these operations had caused in the past and could present in the future mining of our soils...

One great example of the determination and "stick to your guns" of the people in charge of representing the DR's best interest, is the long and ardent negotiations where the reps insisted on the point by point that Barrick assumed the responsibility of full cleanup left behind by the past mining interests in those locations and the continuance of strict standards (most even higher than the ones used in the US and CA today) to the extension of permits to operate the mines...

Barrick thought that by lengthening the negotiations by so long, they could pressure the DR into allowing their terms to be accepted in lieu of the slowing down economy in the regions and worsening of the economic capacity of the DR's industry. They thought wrong! As a matter of fact, each term advocated by the DR's organs was adopted atop newer regulations for employed personnel with the aid of OSHA and the UN in these events...

As it stands today, the mines slated to begin operations in the DR in the coming months/years, will have strict monitoring and follow-ups by the agency with outside observers included from both the DR and Barrick's.

Change takes time, but NTL is taking place in the DR...

As for mining operations already started, not yet! They're in the process of preparations to start operations which will take place with much press and official inauguration...

On a foot note here: Several oil explorations that have been taking place in the DR, have come up with promising results for internal and some external oil production. They also locate natural gas in at least 4 points, yet the amount is not on par to invest the money it would require to get it at such deeps.

The key word in the findings has been "amount"; the investment on export is the only interest of the exploratory companies as of today. The DR's gov understand this to the "t" and as such came up with the push to purchase the 50% controlled by Shell in the refinery to make the investment via the local stock exchange of the DR possible.

In a nutshell, the DR will offer anybody in the DR the chance to become an investor of the initial oil market in the DR to gain enough liquidity to start to pump the oil to satisfy the local consumption.

As for the export market, that's something best left to the continuing exploration of possible reserves by the foreign companies already license in the DR.

Ever wondered why the present administration is talking so much on the issue of adapting the use of natural gas in cars and home use???

BarrickGold is hiring people around Cotui. Mostly for menial jobs so far...Some of its employees who are already down there are staying in Cotui, renting houses, etc...and have already been spotted partying with local "buddies", etc.

As there's such high unemployment in this town, almost everyone I know is putting together a resume to try to get work there. I heard they are paying about 20k for a receptionist, which is pretty good in Cotui.

They are also hiring higher level - experienced candidates (i.e. Contract managers, production engineers, etc). They've posted these jobs on their website.

https://barrick.myvurv.com/MAIN/careerportal/Job_List.cfm?szSearchType=Advanced

I wonder how competitive their pay is and whether they pay in USD or CDN to those hired in Canada but who work in Cotui.

The local transport and heavy machinery people have already started staging rallies, because they claim Barrick is bringing all heavy machinery equipment and contracting everything from digging to a fleet of buses to transport employees from Santo Domingo or somewhere else and nothing from Cotui...not sure how much truth there's to this.

They are organizing meetings in different surrounding communities to talk to the people and ask what their needs are. Not sure if they actually plan on investing to solve some of these needs or is just PR so people think they care...

Where did the US$2.7 billion come from? I am not disputing it - I heard somewhere else (very reliably) that it was a very very large investment - I am just interested to know what info is in the public domain?

There's a job in Vancouver that will lead to working on the project in Cotui.

The Process Plant Maintenance Senior Planner shall be responsible for the establishment and coordination of all Fixed Plant planning initiatives and activities that shall be required and incorporated into the development and execution stages of the Pueblo Viejo Project.
https://barrick.myvurv.com//main/careerportal/job_profile.cfm?szOrderID=1458

I doubt gold mining is ever carried out without ruining the environment. Aren't there little sulfuric acid lakes all over the world? For what it's worth, they're a pretty good employer from what I hear (in the corporate communications sector).