Greenpeace finds new evidence of toxic materials on Rapu Rapu

The Lafayette Polymetallic Project, which has been mining for gold, silver, copper, and zinc, on Rapu Rapu Island should be permanently stopped so that the area could be cleaned of materials toxic to plants, animals, and humans. In statement released on Saturday, Greenpeace made the recommendation based on water samples taken from Mirikpitik Creek, which showed very high levels of toxic metals such as cadmium, copperz, and zinc. The creek leads out to the sea from the mine owned and operated by Lafayette Mining Limited, an Australian firm that has been operating since April 2005 on the Southern Luzon island, which is e50 kilometers south of Manila. "These extremely high levels of the heavy metals found in the samples are toxic to plants, animals, and humans," Dr. Janet Cotter, Greenpeace scientist said. "The proximity of the mine to the sea means that the marine organisms such as corals are likely to be impacted causing harm to the fragile coral reef ecosystem. Such impacts on the reef would be a disaster for marine biodiversity, including the whale shark, and also local fisheries." Cotter is part of team on board the Greenpeace ship Esperanza, which had also visited the Guimaras oil spill site, as part of its global Defending Our Oceans expedition. "Toxic pollution from the mine would clearly affect the coastal and marine ecosystems of Rapu-Rapu Island," Beau Baconguis, Greenpeace campaigner, said. "Therefore, Lafayette's mining operations in Rapu Rapu must be permanently shut down. Immediate clean up and rehabilitation of the mine site and all affected areas must also take place." Because of its poor environmental safeguards, the mining firm has caused several ecological accidents. Greenpeace noted the following:

• In October 2005, cyanide and other contaminants from the mine spilled into the sea and around the island, resulting in massive fish kills after heavy rains. The mine stopped processing but in July this year a 30-day trial run started to see if the mine could operate without causing contamination.
• On July 18, 2006, fishkill occurred in Mirikpitik Creek. Greenpeace sampled the creek at the beginning of August and found the waters acidic due to mine drainage.

According to the Greenpeace statement, cadmium and copper are both highly toxic to plants, animals, and humans. Many aquatic species are very sensitive to cadmium and copper and continued exposure to zinc at sublethal levels could serious affect them. "It is clear that even from this 30-day trial, Lafayette is causing contamination of the waters on Rapu Rapu," Greenpeace said. "If full-scale mining is allowed on Rapu Rapu, it will be an ecological disaster for the local ecology." - GMANews.TV