A Brief Review of the Buenavista del Cobre Mine Spill

For the 100th blog post of Environmental Geochemistry Issues Semi-Monthly, I found it appropriate to offer a brief review of what is touted to be the "Mexican Mining Sector's worst environmental disaster in recent history"*.

(*) = Quote taken from the article entitled "Toxic Spill in Sonora Copper Mine Causes Environmental Disaster" (Geo-Mexico; September 11, 2014)
http://geo-mexico.com/?tag=mining

The Buenavista del Cobre Mine Tailing Pond Spill - August 6, 2014

Mine Waste Spill Contaminates Mexican Rivers
(Eduardo MARQUEZ, newenergyconnections.com; August 12, 2014)
http://www.newenergyconnections.com/mineriamexico.com/?p=552

Toxic Spill at Grupo Mexico Mine Turns River Orange
(Teresa MATICH, Copper Investing News; August 13, 2014)
http://copperinvestingnews.com/20499-toxic-spill-at-grupo-mexico-mine-turns-rivers-orange.html


Acid Spill in Mexican Rivers Ruining Farmers' Livelihoods 
(France 24 - The Observers; August 28, 2014)
http://observers.france24.com/content/20140828-acid-spill-farmers-mexico-river-sonora

Mine Spill Devastates Mexican Farmers
(Valeria FERNÁNDEZ, Al Jazeera News; September 17, 2014)
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2014/09/mine-spill-devastates-mexican-farmers-201491654850240366.html


Grupo Mexico Spill Sparks Public Scrutiny of $150 Million Cleanup 
(Nacha CATTAN and Brendan CHASE, Bloomberg News; September 17, 2014
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-17/grupo-mexico-spill-sparks-public-scrutiny-of-150-million-mop-up.html


N. B.:  The report in the aforementioned Bloomberg News article, filed by Buenavista del Cobre, S. A. de C. V.. with the admission of a pipe seal defect within their Tinajas 1 System (i. e., Bottom of page 1) may be found at the following link:

http://www.gmexico.com/files/ERBuenavista1sept14EN.pdf


Links to all original documents filed to PROFEPA (Mexico's Federal Department of Environmental Protection) in their original language are also available for perusal in this two paged document.


Western Mexico State Reports New Toxic Mine Spill 
(Associated Press/The Epoch Times; September 21, 2014)
http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/971874-western-mexico-state-reports-new-mine-spill/?photo=2



Thank you very much for your loyal readership!

C. Mei-Ling HAMILTON