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The next Canadian gold rush
Canadian mining companies are currently in the midst of nothing less than a gold rush, but instead of being Yukon-bound, this time they're headed for Latin America. But opponents there have already accused many of them of acting like northern gringos. >> Besides seeking lower production costs and looser environmental laws, they're also taking advantage of cyanide heap-leaching, a relatively new extraction process resulting in large pools of cyanide which, if not properly contained, can cause ecological damage. >> Costa Rica is a big attraction with 30 mining corporations--27 of which are Canadian-based--either exploring for or extracting gold. Montreal-area Lyon Lakes Mines now has a big project there in the northern Puntarenas province. >> According to the National Front Against Open-Pit Gold Mining, local Costa Ricans, fearing contamination of their water supplies by heavy metals and cyanide, pressured their municipal government last November to refuse Lyon Lakes' permit. The coalition charges that Lyon Lakes failed to consult local residents and paid only a quarter of the legally required environmental compliance guarantee. >> But company spokesperson François Kalos states that they complied with environmental rules, did "our job with the local people there," and that "those against the mine are people outside the country." The mine is still operating without a permit while the company, national government, local government and a country-wide anti-mining coalition battle it out in the courts. >> Who's telling the truth? A public talk on open-pit gold mining in Costa Rica will take place on Monday, Feb. 2 at 7 p.m. at the offices of the Social Justice Committee, 1857 De Maisonneuve W.
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