Date: Fri, 25 Aug 95 12:41:16 EDT

From: Emergency Information Administrator 

Subject: Guyana: Chemical Spill  DHA-03







                DHA-GENEVA SITUATION REPORT NO 3

                 GUYANA CYANIDE MINE WASTE SPILL

                        (25 AUGUST 1995)





1. THE COMPANY WHICH OWNS THE MINE SUBJECT TO THE RECENT CYANIDE

WASTE SPILL HAS ANNOUNCED THAT THE SPILL WAS STOPPED AT 05.00UTC

ON AUGUST 24.  THE COMPANY ESTIMATES THAT A TOTAL OF 3.2 MILLION

CUBIC METRES OF TAILINGS WATER WAS RELEASED FROM THE TAILINGS

RESERVOIR OVER THE SPILL PERIOD OF 100 HOURS.



2. AT A COORDINATION MEETING OF THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY HELD

IN GEORGETOWN BY THE DHA/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE, THE

PRESIDENTIAL ADVISOR MR NAVIN CHANDARPAL REPORTED THAT THE

CONTAMINATION HAD PASSED THE TOWN OF BARTICA TOWARDS THE SEA.

FRESH WATER CONTINUES TO BE PROVIDED TO COMMUNITIES ALONG THE

ESSEQUIBO RIVER FROM THE MINE TO BARTICA.



3. THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF THE PARLIAMENT OF GUYANA AGREED A

MOTION ON 24 AUGUST THAT PLACES FULL RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE SPILL

ONTO THE OWNERS OF THE MINE AND RESOLVED THAT THE COSTS 'TO

RECTIFY THE SITUATION' WILL BE MET BY OMAI GOLD MINES LIMITED

(OGML). THE MOTION ALSO RESOLVES THAT A COMMISSION OF ENQUIRY

WILL BE ESTABLISHED TO DETERMINE THE CAUSES OF THE DISASTER AND

'MAKE RECOMMENDATIONS ON PREVENTIVE MEASURES AND MODIFICATIONS TO

BE UNDERTAKEN BY OGML TO MINIMISE THE EXPOSURE TO THE ENVIRONMENT

IF UNEXPECTED, UNFORESEEN EVENTS OCCUR.' THE PARLIAMENT NOTED

THAT GOLD MINING OPERATIONS AT OGML WILL ONLY RE-COMMENCE ON A

RESOLUTION BY THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY.



4. OMAI GOLD MINES LIMITED (OGML) REPORT THAT TOTAL CYANIDE

READINGS IN THE ESSEQUIBO RIVER TAKEN ON AUGUST 23 AND 24 SUGGEST

A RAPID REDUCTION IN CYANIDE PRESENCE IN THE WATER.



5. A TEAM OF EXPERTS RETAINED BY THE COMPANY HAVE REPORTED THAT

THE CYANIDE CONCENTRATION IN THE TAILINGS WATER WAS 25 TO 30 PPM

WITH A FREE CYANIDE CONCENTRATION OF 5-6PPM.  THE COMPANY REPORTS

THAT CONTINUOUS MONITORING IN THE ESSEQUIBO RIVER BETWEEN 20

AUGUST AND 24 AUGUST INDICATED LEVELS OF CYANIDE WITHIN THE

DRINKING WATER STANDARDS OF CANADA (0.20PPM) AND THE USA

(0.15PPM).



6. THE COMPANY REPORTS THAT, IN THEIR ESTIMATION, AND ASSUMING

COMPLETE MIXING, THE CONTAMINATED TAILINGS WATER WOULD HAVE BEEN

DILUTED BY THE ESSEQUIBO RIVER (AVERAGE AUGUST FLOW RATE OF 14.4

MILLION CUBIC METRES PER HOUR) BY A FACTOR OF 150-200 TO 1 BY THE

TIME THE DISCHARGE REACHED BARTICA. THE COMPANY NOTES THAT

COMPLETE MIXING DID NOT TAKE PLACE UNTIL THE POLLUTION REACHED

ROCKSTONE, 90KM DOWNSTREAM FROM THE MINE. THEIR MONITORING SHOWS

THAT CYANIDE CONCENTRATIONS REACHED A MAXIMUM OF 0.22 PPM

IMMEDIATELY DOWNSTREAM OF THE OMAI RIVER. THEY SAY THAT AS THE

SPILL PROCEEDED DOWNSTREAM THE CONCENTRATION OF CYANIDE DECREASED

BY AS MUCH AS TWO ORDERS OF MAGNITUDE.



7.  THE DHA/UNDP RESIDENT REPRESENTATIVE REPORTS THAT THE

GOVERNMENT OF VENEZUELA ARE SENDING 3 EXPERTS IN DAM SAFETY

AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE TO ASSIST THE GOVERNMENT OF GUYANA.



             + DEPARTMENT OF HUMANITARIAN AFFAIRS =





TELEPHONE NO: +41-22-917.12.34

EMERGENCY TEL. NO. (IN CASE OF EMERGENCY ONLY): +41-22-917.20.10



DESK OFFICER: MR. GERARD LE CLAIRE DIRECT TEL: +41-22-917.11.73

PRESS TO CONTACT:  MRS.  MOULIN-ACEVEDO, DIRECT TEL:  +41-22-

917.28.56



TELEX: 414242 DHA CH

FAX: +41-22-917.00.23

ELECTRONIC MAIL: UNIENET DIALCOM 141: DHAGVA



DPR 310 GUY







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