During the public hearing to explain to the community the impact of the tailings dam to be built for Barrick Pueblo Viejo to continue exploiting gold resources in Sánchez Ramírez province, it was learned that several communities would have to be relocated. The gold mining company presented the environmental impact study for the tailings dam. The site entails the relocation of families from El Hijo, Arroyo Vuelta, El Rayo, Las Tres Bocas, El Naranjo and Jagua Mocha, the six communities that the project would impact, according to the impact study.
Populations in other sites for the tailings dam have rejected the installation of the tailings dam.
The public hearing was held in the town of Arroyo Vuelta. The miing company presented a summary of the results of the environmental impact study of the proposed tailings dam. The dam would have a length of four kilometers and a height of 157 meters.
As reported in Diario Libre, during the activity, reference was made to land acquisition to accommodate the changes to the families of the communities that would be affected.
Land acquisition would entail the physical or economic displacement of residential and non-residential infrastructure (such as schools or establishments), crops, land and livelihoods, the latter referring to the activities carried out by the community.
As part of its project control and mitigation measures, the Canadian-based multinational developed a resettlement program that includes, among other possibilities, replacement or payment at replacement value, replacement at destination, and a livelihood restoration program and community development plan.
After the presentation, community members asked repeatedly about the place where they would be relocated to after the “evictions” were carried out. “Speak to us with words, tell us where the tailings dam will be located and which communities are going to be removed from here,” said one of the residents.
Wellington Otáñez, from Barrick’s Community Relations and Development Department, explained to Diario Libre that the resettlement process would be based on international standards. “We are guided by the International Finance Corporation (IFC), which has a whole protocol to carry out a resettlement process which implies, not only compensation, but physical and economic displacement.”
Around the world, settling ponds for mining waste are being discontinued, due to the many accidents at high costs to the communities. These are being replaced with dry tailings solutions with new technologies.
Read more in Spanish:
Diario Libre
Alfalaval
Mclanahan
26 July 2022