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Guatemala Gold Mine Revives Water Fears
1 Sep
Summary
- Residents report wells drying up as mining project restarts operations.
- Community referendum previously rejected the open-pit mine proposal.
- Activists cite past corruption and inadequate environmental assessments.
In La Lima, Guatemala, residents are experiencing familiar water scarcity as the Era Dorada gold mining project, now owned by Aura Minerals, has reactivated. Elda Dinora Ramírez reports her well is drying up again, a situation she links to the mine's operations, just as it occurred after initial excavation began in 2007.
The project, previously known as Cerro Blanco, has a contentious history since exploration started in 1997. After a suspension in 2013, a 2022 community referendum rejected a plan for an open-pit mine by 88%, yet the project has resumed under Aura Minerals.
Activists, like Yony Barrera, fear history repeating itself, citing past corruption in environmental licensing. A 2023 report noted experts had rejected the project's Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) in 2004 and 2005, but it was approved later.
Aura Minerals states industrial operations have not begun but site preparation is underway, with vegetation clearance authorized. They pledge a renewed focus on sustainability, planning a water-purification plant and using recycled water in a closed-loop system.
However, experts like geophysicist Steven Emerman recommended revoking permits in 2022. Concerns remain regarding potential contamination of the Ostúa River and Lake Güija from heavy metals and arsenic, despite the company's assurances of water treatment and monitoring.
Arnulfo Díaz, who previously worked on the project, fears wider consequences, stating, "At the same time, we are advancing towards our own destruction." Local communities, including fishermen on Lake Güija, worry about jeopardized livelihoods due to potential contamination.
