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Federal judge Sebastián Casanello prosecuted Sergio Lorusso, Argentina’s former Secretary of Environment, and Jorge Mayoral, former Secretary of Mines.
The officials are accused of abuse of power in the case of the 2015 cyanide spill at Barrick Gold’s (TSX, NYSE:ABX) Veladero mine, the first of three similar incidents registered at the operation between 2015 and 2017.
According to Casanello’s decision, the former secretaries failed to comply with their duties of monitoring Barrick’s gold leaching process. By not executing their power, they also failed to intervene when irregularities took place. Such oversight is punished with jail time for a minimum of one month and a maximum of two years.
Back in September 2015, a faulty valve on a pipe carrying solution with cyanide between Veladero’s leach pad and the processing plant broke and released 1.07 million litres of contaminated water. Following an investigation, it was determined that five rivers were polluted as a consequence of the accident.
3 Comments
Goldfinger
If only these guys had as much money as Cristina Kirchner they could have bought Casanello a couple of times over and gotten away scott free. Until the Justice system and corruption is purged from Argentina doing any kind of mining operations and mining projects is like playing russian roulette with a colt .45 1911 semi auto pistol.
Oredigr
So, a quarter million gallons has polluted 5 rivers! The mud puddles in Patagonian roads hold more water than that.
Renato
Justice Argentina shows competence in the punishment of high officials, responsible for the inspection of the mines. But It may be a persecution of former government politicians, I hope the decision was technical.