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Philippines: Spill of Copper Mine Waste - Apr 1996

Disaster description

In the South-Central Philippines, a large open pit copper mine is being operated on Marinduque Island. The mine is producing about 30,000 tons of copper ore per day. In late-March 1996, a massive flow of mine waste (tailings) started escaping from a drainage tunnel into the environment. The total seepage amounted to approximately 2,4 million tons of mine tailings. According to the Philippine national authorities, the Makulapnit and consequently Boac rivers have been affected by wastes downstream to the sea. The silt and colloidal components of discharge have reached the coastal area. Approximately 6 to 10 hectares of cropland have been covered with tailings. As reported by the Philippine national authorities, a total of some 800 families consisting of about 2,000 persons have been affected by this disaster. […] Samples of the tailings have been collected by the Mines and Geosciences Bureau and the Environmental Management Bureau of the Philippine Department of Environment and Natural Resources to determine the wastes' toxicity to human beings and livestock. Mining operations have been suspended. (UN DHA, 24 Apr 1996)

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