I was recently told that Google Earth had updated many photos through out the DR, and me being me, I had to check it out.
Fair enough, everything was going well.
Then I zoomed in the Cotu? area and the image over the Pueblo Viejo gold mine (currently under concession with Barrick Gold) looked quite nice and clear:
Yes, the mountain is being destroyed, but that's normal mining practice (look at the Falconbridge Ferronickel mine near Bonao). On the other side its still covered in a nice and dense forest, but then I noticed this river:
On the plains the forest has been cleared a little and the river is much more visible:
And look where all that crap is being dumped into:
For the geographically illiterate, that's the Hatillo dam reservoir. I think part of that water is used in some nearby aqueducts, but I'm certain in many areas of the reservoir people like to socialize and go in for a bath or to frolic in the water. Entire families go there with the kids having plenty of fun in that water.
Thanks Barrick Gold for such a considerate gift.
BTW, there are other mines clearly visible in Google Earth (Falconbridge near Bonao, Cabo Rojo in Pedernales, etc) and none have this 'gift' that Barrick Gold is giving the country from the bottom of their heart.
Fair enough, everything was going well.
Then I zoomed in the Cotu? area and the image over the Pueblo Viejo gold mine (currently under concession with Barrick Gold) looked quite nice and clear:
Yes, the mountain is being destroyed, but that's normal mining practice (look at the Falconbridge Ferronickel mine near Bonao). On the other side its still covered in a nice and dense forest, but then I noticed this river:
On the plains the forest has been cleared a little and the river is much more visible:
And look where all that crap is being dumped into:
For the geographically illiterate, that's the Hatillo dam reservoir. I think part of that water is used in some nearby aqueducts, but I'm certain in many areas of the reservoir people like to socialize and go in for a bath or to frolic in the water. Entire families go there with the kids having plenty of fun in that water.
Thanks Barrick Gold for such a considerate gift.
BTW, there are other mines clearly visible in Google Earth (Falconbridge near Bonao, Cabo Rojo in Pedernales, etc) and none have this 'gift' that Barrick Gold is giving the country from the bottom of their heart.