ARGENTINA: Impelling law to prohibit mining with cyanide.

A project of national law that would prohibit the mining activity in all the country by means of leaching techniques with cyanide use or other toxic substances will begin to impel itself from the beginning of this week, from the experiences gathered in different points from the country, in as much today a strong controversy in Pascua Lama mine specially (San Juan Province) and by the facts happened in the patagonian city of Esquel exists.

Initiative, that is impelled by the deputy of "Self-determination and Freedom Party", Luis Zamora, counted on support and advising for making of lawyer Cristian Hendrickse, which it made a work of investigation in Esquel and has an active roll in the fights who comes developing against toxic mining, according to stands out between the foundations of the project.

Also one scores to eliminate the incentives the mining law, that were created in the decade of the 90 at national level and were absorbed in Chubut Province through specific norms. On the other hand, this same type of incentives is the one that demands the oil industry today to return to invest in exploration.

The initiative counts on the support of the organization RACHA (Resistance Antimining Lonko -Chief- Chakayal), that has invited to the ONGs and organizations in general to send itself in support to the project.

In his essential articles, it prohibits in the territory of the Argentine Republic the use in the mining activities of leaching techniques with cyanide or other toxic substances.

The violation to that Act, according to the second clause, would have to be sanctioned with fine whose minimum will be the equivalent one in weights to the value of 100 ounces of gold and whose maximum will be the equivalent one in weights to the value of 10,000 ounces of gold, without damage of the repair of the environmental damages that had possibly taken place, the obligation to support the costs by leisure, transfer and demolition, the closing and the responsibilities common or criminal that corresponded.

It extends responsibilities to those are owners from any mining rights relatives to the place of commission of the infraction, or the associate by joint venture or any contract of mining object, like those who at the time of committing the infraction have to their position the direction, administration or management of the legal person the condemned, will be personal and shared in common responsible for the sanctions established in the present Act”.

The initiative, according to its author, tends “a to
guarantee the rights to the life, the health and the work of the inhabitants of this country, their environment and their resources, like thus also the right of self-determination of the Argentine People. He has as objective to support the fight of all those that come facing the mining projects and the governmental complicity them as well as stimulating that that determined opposition and signs he extends and he is supported by all the Peoples of the World and to articulate with similar fights that come freeing the brothers peoples of Latin America”.