As heavy rains continue to pummel Chile, cutting off areas of the country and damaging thousands of homes, one community is dealing with a tailings dam rupture that has sent heavy metals throughout the community and nearby water supplies.
A tailings dam belonging to copper miner Las Cenizas in central Chile began overflowing overnight on June 13 due to heavy rains and put nearby water sources, including the La Ligua river at risk of "adverse effects," Chile's environmental SMA agency said in a statement.
"Sediment from the tailing was dragged through creeks and fell on some houses. This has been very worrying for the community," said Victor Donoso, the mayor of Cabildo said on Saturday. "Nobody likes living with a tailing dam right behind them."
Chile is the world's largest copper producer and Cabildo is an agricultural area that is known for producing avocados and many residents are worried about the impact the overflow will have on their livelihood.
Citizens expressed their worries in meetings with government officials and representatives from the mining company, which were working to rebuild the containment wall the overflowed last week.
"I recognize there were some errors in our management," Andres Monarde, operations manager for Las Cenizas, told residents on Saturday. "But let's take a step forward together."
Donoso said a formal complaint has been sent to the environmental regulator to see the impact the overflow has had on agriculture, houses and water sources.
"The little I used to water my fruit trees, fill the pond, the avocados, the tailing burst and it got contaminated," said Jose Olmos, a local farmer. "The tailing brings heavy metals, like lead arsenic and a lot of metals. This is irreversible, I won't be able to use it anymore."
Latest Stories
-
We’ll establish fiscal council to rein in excessive borrowing – Finance Minister
6 mins -
Mortuary workers issue fresh strike threat
10 mins -
‘Lapses in banking system are not unique’ – John Awuah on managing fraud in Ghana’s Banks
18 mins -
Bawumia confident of victory in 2024 election
52 mins -
Strengthening audit institutions essential for tackling fiscal mismanagement – Domelevo
1 hour -
Healthy Aging: The Role of the Gut Microbiome and How Diet Can Help
1 hour -
Seek medical care, diagnosis for breast cancer – Dr Abiti to women
1 hour -
Hardship: Men now collect marriage list from different families to get cheapest – Report
1 hour -
‘If you’re looking for trouble, you’ll get it,’ Falz tells VeryDarkMan
1 hour -
Paramount Chief of Avenor grateful to NPP, calls for completion of Agenda 111 project
2 hours -
Bawumia commissions ultramodern office complex for Ho Municipal Assembly
2 hours -
Bawumia declares NPP’s infrastructure record unmatched
2 hours -
Importers face duty on Electric Vehicles despite gov’t’s exemption promises
2 hours -
4 additional Democracy Hub protesters discharged
2 hours -
Election 2024: Alan Kyerematen lacks a message – Hassan Ayariga
2 hours