Mercosur and EU clash over mining environmental regulations

Thursday, June 17th 2010 - 03:19 UTC

Full article 3 comments

Jorge Mayoral, Argentina’s Mines minister and host of the meeting

Mercosur and associate members Chile and Ecuador rejected environmental regulations for the mining sector, under consideration by the European parliament and which could become a barrier for minerals’ exports to the EU.

An official statement was released Wednesday in Buenos Aires following a meeting on Wednesday of Mercosur Mining ministers and secretaries.

The EU parliament initiative passed last May calls for a ban on all cyanide in European mining by the end of 2011 so as to protect water resources and biodiversity.

The initiative calls on the European Commission to promote the decision and eliminate and direct or indirect support to mining projects which entail the use of cyanide.

“Given the latest restrictions sponsored by the EU Parliament which propose impediments to the industrialization and commercialization of products from productive sectors such as the mining industry of our continent, countries of the region reject such measures which are considered restrictive and harmful for the development of our productive activities”, points out the Mercosur statement.

Mining is an essential industry for the development of Latinamerica.

Further on the Mercosur release emphasizes the existence of all guarantees for the development of the mining sector in harmony with the environment and communities, since they pertain “to modern technologies which abide with the strictest environment rules applicable according to international standards”.

“The EU initiative is an attack to the normal development of the mining industry” in our region said Jorge Mayoral Argentina’s Mines minister and host of the meeting.

The cyanide clause pretends to legislate “in our own autonomies. This kind of resolutions ignores the autarchy of our countries and at the same time are real barriers to international trade”.

If the initiative goes forward certain minerals extracted in South America could be banned from being exported and processed in the EU.
Mercosur full members are Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay.-

Categories: Politics, Argentina.

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harrier61
It is not often that I agree with the EU but on this occasion I do. A little research into the process of cyanide mining indicates that it can result in the collapse of whole food chains. Co-existent with this is the distinct possibility of contamination of foodstuffs. The EU must act to protect the citizens of its member states.
Jun 17th, 2010 - 11:16 am 0
jerry
harrier61 - This comment probably sounds a little picky, but actually, there is no such thing as “cyanide mining”. However, cyanide can be used in the milling and recovery process of the particular metal you are mining for, especially gold. But, almost 40 years ago, a recovery process was established using charcoal instead of cyanide, which proved more successful and cheaper than using cyanide, and it is totally environmental friendly. I do not understand why the cyanide process is still being used, but I am not a metallurgist, so perhaps these mining companies know something which I do not!
Jun 17th, 2010 - 02:38 pm 0
harrier61
Thank you, jerry. I was aware of the points you make. I used the term simply as a “short form”. I think we can agree that mining interests in the relevant countries are using dangerous outdated processes that place not only their own people but, where the the possibility of contamination of foodstuffs exists, people all around the world at grave risk.
Jun 18th, 2010 - 02:06 pm 0

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