Santo Domingo, DR. – Amid complaints about the contamination of rivers near the Pueblo Viejo mine, Barrick Gold's Operations Superintendent, José Hawil, assured that the company maintains strict environmental controls to prevent mining waste from affecting the ecosystem.
During the program Under The Spotlight, broadcast by De Último Minuto and The Six, Hawil explained that the mining company has structures designed to retain sediments and prevent them from reaching natural bodies of water.
"Manejamos varias estructuras para poder tener control sobre los sedimentos y evitar que algún sedimento salga de la propiedad. Todo el agua que cae en la mina va hasta un solo punto, desde donde es bombeada a la planta de tratamiento", the executive stated.
According to Hawil, the tailings dam The Wound It operates under a pressure pumping system that transports the water to the treatment plant, where metals are removed and the pH is adjusted to reduce the acidity of the liquid.
His statement supports the company's official version, which maintains that The mining process is not polluting nearby rivers and the treated water is safe for discharge into the environment..
However, studies conducted by Franja laboratories contradict these claims. According to the physicochemical analysis presented in the same program, Water samples collected in the area contain worrying levels of lead, cyanide, ammonia and nitrates., in addition to a pH of 3.5 a 4, indicating high acidity.
The doctor Frank Reyes, the laboratory's research manager, warned that the filtration of these contaminants could spread underground and affect a large part of the Cibao region. "Los metales pesados no desaparecen. Si estas sustancias entran en los ríos subterráneos, el daño será irreversible y podría durar cientos de años", Reyes explained.
Despite the scientific data, Hawil maintains the company's position and assures that the water is treated with advanced technology to ensure its quality.
The debate continues between Barrick's version of events and the concerns of community members, who have reported the death of fish, the reduction of their water sources, and the loss of their crops.
"Antes tomábamos agua del río, ahora nadie se atreve. Los peces mueren y la tierra ya no produce igual", said Epifania Manzueta, a resident of Zambrana Arriba.
Government authorities have yet to provide a definitive response on the results of the independent study, while the community is demanding clarity on the environmental impact of mining in the area.
