Copper Mine Waste Spill in Mexico Causing Alarming Pollution Levels
After almost a decade of suffering, the people of Sonora in northern Mexico are still dealing with the devastating effects of a massive waste spill from a copper mine. The spill, which occurred in 2014, has led to alarming levels of pollution in the soil, air, and water of the region, according to a 239-page report released by Mexico’s Environment Department.
The report, which used satellite images to confirm the spill was caused by the inadequate design of a dam at the Buenavista del Cobre mine, owned by Grupo México, the country’s largest copper producer. This offers new hope for the local community and environmental advocates, who have been fighting for justice and financial accountability for almost a decade.
Luis Franco, a community coordinator with the regional advocacy group PODER, expressed cautious optimism about the report’s findings. He believes that this new evidence will help them on their quest to hold Grupo México responsible for the environmental and health damages caused by the spill. Franco stated, We expect that, with this new document, we’ll have an easy path for getting the money. At the moment, I’m happy but at the same time I know this is just the beginning for the people of Sonora. We have to keep fighting.
The spill occurred on August 6, 2014, after heavy rainfall caused 10 million gallons (40 million liters) of acidified copper sulfate to flood from a waste reservoir at Buenavista mine into the Sonora and Bacanuchi rivers. The spill took place just under 62 miles (100 kilometers) from the border city of Nogales, Sonora.
Following the spill, Grupo México initially agreed to provide 1.2 billion pesos (about $68 million) to a recovery fund. However, in 2017, the trust that managed the fund was closed, with the remaining funds returned to the mining company. According to PODER, the trust was reopened three years later, but without any additional funding.
As per the report released earlier this year by Mexico’s National Institute of Ecology and Climate Change, the total cost of the spill is estimated to be over 20 billion pesos ($1.1 billion), more than 16 times the size of the original support fund. The report highlights that the funds provided so far have not been sufficient to cover the direct, indirect, and cumulative effects of the spill on the population, ecosystem, and economy of the affected area.
Despite the promises, only one water treatment station has been opened out of the 36 promised, and the toxicology clinic has been abandoned, according to the Sonora River Basin Committees. The region continues to suffer from unsafe levels of arsenic, lead, and mercury, which have been detected across an area of over 250 square kilometers (94 square miles) surrounding the spill. The locals in the affected townships have reported health risks and decreased productivity in their farms and ranches.
One of the most alarming findings mentioned in the report is that 93% of soil samples from the city of Cananea did not meet international requirements for arsenic levels. This demonstrates the urgent need for action, as the pollution has also affected the drinking water in the region, as confirmed by Adrián Pedrozo Acuña, director general for the Mexican Institute for Water Technology.
Critics argue that Buenavista del Cobre mine has continued to operate and even expand in size since the spill, with production increasing threefold in the years leading up to the accident. They claim that the area’s water supplies have been chronically overexploited, further exacerbating the environmental crisis.
The report’s findings shine a spotlight on the ongoing struggle of the affected communities and the urgent need for financial compensation and environmental remediation. The battle for justice continues as the people in Sonora fight for their rights and the restoration of their environment and health.
