Kingsgate’s Thai mine a lesson in failed community management
In mid January, the Thai Government’s Department of Primary Industries and Mines ordered the 30-day suspension of activities of Akara Resources, a Thai gold mining subsidiary of Australia’s Kingsgate Consolidated Limited.
The suspension followed a protracted dispute between Akara and local villagers. The locals claimed – and this was voiced predominantly by women – they had been adversely affected by the mine’s activities.
Despite the concerns raised by villagers, Akara continued to issue environmental impact studies that failed to address the concerns.
But when the Thai government assessed the mine’s impacts on the environment and health, arsenic and manganese were found to exceed acceptable levels in 282 villagers living near Kingsgate’s Chatree gold mine in Pijit Province.
Kingsgate responded by arguing that “arsenic and manganese are not used or stored at the Chatree Mining operation now or at any time in its history". Indeed, it is cyanide rather than arsenic or manganese which is used to leach gold from ore.
Following a public hearing of key community stakeholders in February, the Department of Primary Industries and Mines announced it would lift the suspension order if Akara Resources were to prove its operations do not pose a threat to health. Apparently this did not happen to the government’s satisfaction, as an additional 45 days suspension has been applied.
How could things have gone so wrong?
No comments:
Post a Comment