Toxic Mines No More – A European Initiative to Ban Cyanide

August 2014, Rosia Montana

Background

In May 2010 the European Parliament recommended “a general ban on the use

of cyanide mining technologies in the European Union”. The resolution was adopted with a majority of 488 votes (48 votes against and 57 abstentions) as a result of a European campaign organized by the Save Rosia Montana campaign and other partners. The resolution was never incorporated in the EC work plan,

crucial !rst step in the process of becoming a European directive.

Alburnus Maior, the coordinator of the Romanian Save Rosia Montana campaign has been campaigning for over a decade and led to Romania's biggest civil and

environmental uprising in a century. It quickly went global, spreading throughout 75 cities worldwide, from Bucharest to London and New York to Shanghai.

Why this is important?

One of the biggest threats to water quality and the availability of water resources in Europe is posed by gold mining operations. The accidental release of material containing high concentrations of cyanide results in the death and/or contamination of most of the

aquatic life of affected rivers, along with serious health effects on human beings and animals, and leaves water unsuitable to drink.

From an environmental point of view, millions of European citizens are to be confronted with cyanide based mining technologies that could endanger their water resources. In

this sense the opportunity to act in advance, before the pollution would be generated, is in fact assuring that human rights are met.

Why ban cyanide?

The estimated no. of communities that are or will be confronted with mining projects is around 40. Ten European countries (Romania, Bulgaria, Greece, Turkey, FYROM, Slovakia,

The Czech Republic, France, Spain and Finland) face the danger of cyanide based mining projects.

Over the past 25 years more than 30 major accidents involving cyanide spills have

occurred worldwide, the worst in Europe taking place 14 years ago, when more than 100 000 cubic meters of cyanide contaminated water was released from a gold-mine reservoir into the Tisza-Danube River system, causing the largest ecological disaster in the history

of central Europe since the Chernobyl disaster

What we’re aiming to achieve

Create a EU-wide campaign, a coalition of groups and organisations in Europe working, to end toxic mines, to ban cyanide-based mining.

Put pressure on the European Commission to implement the European Parliament

resolution to ban cyanide in mining, one of the worst causes of water pollution.

Create the political space for re-igniting discussions in European quarters, as a result of increased pubic awareness, pressure put by communities affected and organisations

working to stop destructive mining projects.

Target: EU commissioner for the environment

1. Phase 1 (outgoing commissioner)

2. Phase 2 (incoming commissioner)

Cyanide is … A deadly poison, bad for the envi, health, jobs, econ., risk to freshwater

Massive massive holes in the ground Affects the most pristine areas in Europe Lapland, Apuseni, Galicia

1st Phase 2nd Phase

We have all the gold we need

Lobby

Corporate Takeover

Commission is Undemocratic / de!cit of democracy

Rewards Future and Tomorrow

Recycling creates green jobs Urban mining reduces electronic waste

Sustainable devt. is clean & democratic

The alternative

The messages to communicate

Framing

Cyanide is … A villain A weapon of mass destruction Darth Vader and the Emperor working together Like !shing with dynamite A spoonful a day that puts you forever away A wicked leak (to water) The immaculate invention of mining companies No tomorrow The 2% that makes the 1% richer The skeleton in the closet There is something rotten with cyanide

Be the antidote of cyanide They are the cyanide and You are the antidote Too many !sh die for the gold !sh Too many mountain chains die for gold chains Too many #owers vanish for an industry that #ourishes in toxicity

Using the language of comic books, pop art visual references

Cyanide is … A villain

A weapon of mass destruction Darth Vader and the Emperor working together

Like !shing with dynamite A spoonful a day that puts you forever away

A wicked leak (to water) The immaculate invention of mining companies

No tomorrow The 2% that makes the 1% richer

The skeleton in the closet There is something rotten with cyanide

Be the antidote of cyanide

They are the cyanide and You are the antidote

Too many !sh die for the gold !sh

Too many mountain chains die for gold chains

Too many #owers vanish for an industry that #ourishes in toxicity

Create an European alliance and website

of organisations, groups and communities

Send a NGO letter to EC Commission

Create an European petition to the EC

Commission

Raise public awareness: infographics, social

media, web content

Common Direct Action across Europe EC

Commission

Expose the industry’s lobby

1st Phase activities

autumn 2014

Turn the campaign into positives

Metal recycling, urban mining

Work with and document gold recycling in the EU and show

bene!ts

Starts with the appointment of New Environment Commissioner

be better than your predecessor

2nd Phase

Join the Toxic Mines No More Alliance and let’s end cyanide based mining

•  Contact us at contact@miningwatch.ro, Mining Watch Romania and alburnusmaior@ngo.ro, Alburnus Maior – The Save Rosia Montana campaign for more information.