Barrick Gold executives are optimistic they will convince the population there are more plusses than negatives to gold mining. The company stresses the millions of dollars it has paid in tax revenues, the thousands it employs, its social programs, and its adherence to best practices in modern mining.
The Sanchez Ramirez province-based mining company has secured an expansion of its mining area, from 4,880 hectares to 7,995.47 hectares. This means the company has allocated the area where a new tailings dam would be built to continue operations into the future. The company has yet to secure the needed environmental permits.
Luis Carvajal, the very vocal environmental director for the state university UASD and the Academy of Sciences, insists the company go for a dry processing to expand its operation.
Barrick insists there are three conventional wet tailing dams (Mejita, El Llagal y Laguna) in operation in the Dominican Republic that have not had problems over the years.
Around the world, major tailor dam failures have led to the development of improved dry tailings technology. Among the most recent failures this year of tailing dams are: the Jagersfontein in Free State, South Africa; the Agua Dulce mine in Potosi, Bolivia (23 July 2022); Wenquan Township mine in Shanxi Province, China (27 March 2022); the Banjhiberana mine in Odisha, India (20 January 2022); and the Pau Branco mine in Minas Gerais, Brazil (8 January 2022).
The director of Mining of the Ministry of Energy and Mines, Rolando Muñoz says the Abinader decree that allows for the expansion only authorizes the environmental impact study to be carried out. This is a preliminary step for the mining company to obtain government approval for the construction of the tailings facility. “If in the area, after the study is done, it is determined that it does not meet the geotechnical and geological structural conditions, the dam will not be built,” said the official.
Read more:
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
Diario Libre
El Nuevo Diario
Wise Uranium – tailing dam failures around the world
Tree Hugger
Water Power Magazine
Alfa Laval
6 October 2022