Introduction on 30 january 2000, following a breach in the tailing dam of the aurul sa baia mare company, a major spill of cyaniderich tailings waste was released into the ri. The cyanide spill at baia mare, romania pages 1 8 text. M ore than 100,000 cubic meters of heavily poisoned water, rich in cyanide and other toxic heavy metals, such as copper and zinc, spilled through a tailings dam breach jan. Mining and the destruction of baia mare livebetter magazine. Cyanide spill at baya mare by lance connell, addias mervin, monique m. The mining activities of northwest romania were the obvious source, and the circle began to tighten around the cyanide pools near baia mare, the mineralrich regions main town.
The spill occurred on 30 january at the aurul precious metals recovery plant near baia mare, romania, when 00m3 of sludge contaminated with cyanide and heavy metals flowed over a 25m length of dam and down the szamos. Water pollution from a cyanide spill in eastern europe january 30, 2000 baia mare romania subsequent to the failure of a storage basin dyke on january 30, 2000, 300,000 m. On 30 january 2000, following a breach in the tailing dam of the aurul sa baia mare. The spill, which originated in northern romania, where a dam at the baia mare gold mine overflowed last month and caused cyanide to flow into streams. Baia mare cyanide spill on january 30th 2000 a retaining wall failed at the aurul gold processing plant in baia mare on the romanianhungarian border, releasing 100,000 cubic metres of cyanidecontaminated water containing approximately 100 tonnes of cyanides. The report followed a joint investigative mission to the affected areas and was carried outby a team of 20 scientists during the period february 23 to march 6, 2000. Over the past months, the baia mare task force has visited the three countries primarily affected. The continuing failure of international law to protect europes rivers. The cyanide spill at baia mare, romania rec publications. The spill of water laden with cyanide from a romanian gold mine in january 26 february, p 536 could have a chronic health impact, according to a recent joint report by the united nations environment programme and the office for the coordination of humanitarian affairs the spill, on 30 january, occurred in the baia mare region of northwest romania and flowed into the shared river. The baia mare cyanide spill had left several consequences behind. The latest toxic spill is bringing back memories of the baia mare disaster which killed fish in rivers across eastern europe image.
The aurul factory near baia mare the wider picture concerned how such a situation could have arisen. The cyanide spill at baia mare, romaniabefore, during and after. Baia mare simple english wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Wwfcanon nigel dickinson a toxic spill of mining waste from an industrial plant in hungary is the worst of its kind in the countrys history and may end up matching the baia mare cyanide spill in romania in 2000. Pdf on 30 january 2000, following the breach in the tailing dam of the aurul sa baia mare co. Gold cyanidation in romania was used for decades, but the process came into debate following the 2000 baia mare cyanide spill and proposal of the ro. This is a summary of the unepochareport on the cyanide spill at baia mare, romania. The spill happened because of poor dam design and unusal weather conditions. Feb 26, 2000 the spill occurred on 30 january at the aurul precious metals recovery plant near baia mare, romania, when 00m3 of sludge contaminated with cyanide and heavy metals flowed over a 25m length of dam and down the szamos and lapos rivers to the tisza.
The ensuing public outcry called for banning the gold industrys use of cyanide. Jul 21, 2015 the cyanide spill from a gold factory in baia mare, north west romania, occurred on january 30th. Nov 12, 2009 cyanide concentration values spread of the cyanide spill from baia mare european environment agency do something for our planet, print this page only if needed. Mar 28, 2017 seventeen years ago 100 tonnes of cyanide were spilled into the some. Pdf baia mare accidentbrief ecotoxicological report of czech. A year on from the cyanide leak that caused widespread damage in three countries, hungary has announced it is to launch a case against the aurul company which caused the spill. Cyanide concentration values spread of the cyanide spill from baia mare european environment agency do something for our planet, print this page only if needed. Professor schwabach addresses the role of international environmental law in the aftermath of the january 2000 cyanide spill in baia mare, romania in his article, from schweizerhalle to baia mare. A cyanide leach mining spill at the baia mare mining operation in romania is used as a case study for improvements that need to be considered. The contaminants thus began their journey through the carpathian mountains en route to the tisza river basin. Cyanide spill at baya mare by lance connell, addias. The management of transboundary pollution the baia mare cyanide spill, romania 2000 november 2008. January 30, 2000, this dam burst and released 100,000 cubic meters of the contaminated water.
Disastrous romanian cyanide spills could have been worse. The ecological effects of mining spills in the tisza river. And yet another spill on february 6, 2000, 1500 m 3 of waste water with a cyanide concentration of 7mgl i. Investigating the effects of the danube cyanide spill.
This issue paper, more cyanide uncertaintieslessons from the baia mare, romania, spill water quality and politics, adds to the growing body of evidence that the public should be concerned about the risks associated with the use of cyanide in modern mining and that governments and mining companies have yet to act to adequately. The spill, on 30 january, occurred in the baia mare region of northwest romania and flowed into the shared river systems of hungary, romania, and yugoslavia. Without a doubt, gold mining can be a boon for local economies but only if its done responsibly. The paper also states that a report by the united nations environment programme does not go far enough in providing adequate protection from cyanide spills. The 2000 tisza cyanide spill was a leak of cyanide near baia mare, romania, into the somes river by the gold mining company aurul, a jointventure of the australian company esmeralda exploration and the romanian government.
Rain during the winter of 1999 and 2000 was unusually high, which caused large amounts of water to build up in pools. From the baia mare, romania, spillcyanide, water quality and politics. A cyanide spill has rendered hungarys second longest waterway, the tisza river, dead for years to come and may threaten human health, government officials have warned. The report followed a joint investigative mission to the affected areas and was carried out by a team of 20 scientists during the period february 23 to march 6, 2000. Aug 25, 2014 this is my high school geography assignment, focusing on the process and consequences of the baia mare cyanide spill.
Jan 30, 2000 the 2000 tisza cyanide spill was a leak of cyanide near baia mare, romania, into the somes river by the gold mining company aurul, a jointventure of the australian company esmeralda exploration and the romanian government. Cyanide spill floods into danube world news the guardian. The cyanide spill at baia mare, romania publications regional. Cyanide spill at baia mare assessment mission report. Aurul, a joint venture owned by the australian company esmeralda exploration and the romanian government, was using this method baia mare, a municipality in romania. Seventeen years ago 100 tonnes of cyanide were spilled into the some. Transboundary environmental governance and the baia mare. Hungary toxic spill could be worse than baia mare cyanide. Cyanide spill at baia mare romania unepocha assessment. Company, a major spill of cyaniderich tailings waste was. The polluted waters eventually reached the tisza and then the danube, killing large numbers of fish in hungary. Article cyanide spill at baia mare assessment mission report unepocha.
The consequence of baia mare cyanide spill term paper. This is my high school geography assignment, focusing on the process and consequences of the baia mare cyanide spill. A toxic spill of mining waste from an industrial plant in hungary is the worst of its kind in the countrys history and may end up matching the baia mare cyanide spill in romania in 2000 an estimated 1 million cubic metres of redcoloured sludge, a mixture of water and mining waste including toxic heavy metals like lead, cadmium, arsenic and chromium, spilled from the ajkai alumunia refinery. Baia mare cyanide spill on january 30th 2000 a retaining wall failed at the aurul gold processing plant in baia mare on the romanianhungarian border, releasing 100,000 cubic metres of cyanide contaminated water containing approximately 100 tonnes of cyanides. Examine the cause and effects of the release of an industrial cyanideheavy metals impoundment into a major european river system. Pdf baia mare accidentbrief ecotoxicological report of. The cyanide laced water used in the process was collected in a special dam. The spill occurred on 30 january at the aurul precious metals recovery plant near baia mare, romania, when 00m3 of sludge contaminated with cyanide and heavy metals flowed over a 25m length of dam and down the szamos and lapos rivers to the tisza. Sep, 2008 in fact, before the spill at baia mare, the sasar river, also known as the dead river, showed cyanide concentrations nearly 88 times the permissible level with lead and arsenic in the sasar, lupas, somes and tisza rivers documented at 100 to times above acceptable concentrations. Garvey said that in the case of the cyanide spill near baia mare an ice cap covering the rivers for 200 kilometers downstream of the accident site well into hungary limited the deadly effects of. Examine the heavy metals release from a tailings dam failure in southwestern spain. On 30 january 2000, following the breach in the tailing dam of the aurul sa baia mare co.
Bozinte mare is a romanian village just downstream of baia mare, a village so small that anything that happens there might normally be said to have happened in baia mare. River by the gold mining company aurul, a jointventure of the australian company esmeralda exploration and the romanian government. The cyanide spill from a gold factory in baia mare, north west romania, occurred on january 30th. Cyanide spill a catastrophe of european dimensions world. A strong example of this would be the cyanide spill that occurred in baia mare, romania back in 2000 which many experts consider to be the worst european environmental disaster. It happened in an area already contaminated by heavy metals due to a long history of mining, the report said. When aurul admitted that its dam had burst, the trail ended. May 19, 2000 but the cyanide spill, though devastating, was not the main issue.
The pollutants flowed via different tributaries into the tizsa tisa river and finally through the danube river into the black sea. Spread of the cyanide spill from baia mare european. Lecture 20 environmental chemiscals ii university of idaho. It has polluted the tisza, szamos and danube rivers and wiped out all river life on its way. Cyanide spill a catastrophe of european dimensions by julie hyland 15 february 2000 a poisonous chemical spill has destroyed wildlife and fish stocks and threatened the water supplies of 2. Jan 31, 2001 a year on from the cyanide leak that caused widespread damage in three countries, hungary has announced it is to launch a case against the aurul company which caused the spill. Baia mare cyanide spill by iliana martinez on prezi. An hour before midnight on january 30, 2000, a dam holding back water in a settling area for the baia mare gold mine burst, spilling its contents into the somes river, and subsequently into the tisza river.
Five cows in the nearby village of zazar died after water contaminated with cyanide was released from the baia mare mines pipe system. May 28, 2014 a strong example of this would be the cyanide spill that occurred in baia mare, romania back in 2000 which many experts consider to be the worst european environmental disaster since chernobyl in 1986. The polluted waters eventually reached the tisza and then the danube, killing large numbers of fish in hungary and. Feb, 2000 the spill, which originated in northern romania, where a dam at the baia mare gold mine overflowed last month and caused cyanide to flow into streams, has not been diluted to a safe level despite. Four eastern european rivers were contaminated when 100 000 m3 of cyanide tainted water spilled from a dam at baia mare in romania, 75 km from the hungarian border, in to the river tisza. Water pollution from a cyanide spill in eastern europe.
Baia mare accidentbrief ecotoxicological report of czech experts. Nick thorpe reports from the romanian town of baia mare, where the inhabitants are still suffering the consequences of the disaster. River by the gold mining company aurul, a jointventure of the australian company esmeralda exploration and the romanian government the polluted waters eventually reached the tisza river and then the danube, killing large numbers of fish in hungary, serbia, and romania. Cyanide spill a catastrophe of european dimensions. Baia mare accidentbrief ecotoxicological report of czech. Baia mare, romania, june 16, 2000 ens a gold processing facility in northeastern romania has reopened less than six months after a cyanide spill from the plant contaminated drinking water for. In the summer of 1998, in the aftermath of a cyanide spill outside the kumtor mine. Five years after the cyanide spill posted on 31 january 2005 five years after becoming known for cyanide and heavy metal spills, the wonderful maramures and its resources including the river tisa and its tributaries is now part of a paneuropean wwf project which aims to promote new approaches to integrated land and water. The 2000 baia mare cyanide spill was a leak of cyanide near baia mare, romania, into the some. The cyanidelaced water used in the process was collected in a special dam.
Baia mare gold exploitation, romania the baia mare spill is considered the second cernobyl the baia mare accident in 2000 occurred on the territory of this town, in bozanta mare, when the tailings dam broke and cyanide mining waste spilled in tisa river and further on in the danube. May, 2000 the spill, on 30 january, occurred in the baia mare region of northwest romania and flowed into the shared river systems of hungary, romania, and yugoslavia. The 2000 baia mare cyanide spill was a leak of cyanide near baia mare, romania, into the. This is a summary of the unepocha report on the cyanide spill at baia mare, romania.
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