Human Rights and the Environment

Case Study: Open-Pit Gold Mine

Country: Romania

Region: Europe

Issues: Toxics, Pollution, Resource Extraction

A gold mining project in Romania suffered a major setback in October 2002, when the World Bank withdrew its support for the controversial Rosia Montana project. Local residents and activists celebrated this important victory in their struggle to maintain a healthy environment and their livelihoods in Rosia Montana. Toronto-based Gabriel Resources plans to develop the valley of Rosia Montana, the oldest documented settlement in Romania, into four open-pit mines. A neighboring valley would be converted into an unlined cyanide storage pond, held back by a 180 meter high dam. This project would be the largest open-pit gold mining operation in Europe.[1]

[1] See Project Underground, Drillbits and Tailings: World Bank Pulls Out of Rosia Montana, at http://www.moles.org/ProjectUnderground/drillbits/7_09/1.html (last visited Mar. 9, 2004).

Last Updated: 09/09/05