Chelopech gold mine plans frozen, campaigners call for cyanide leaching to be binned

An announcement from Dundee Precious Metals that it is freezing plans on its investment at the Chelopech gold and copper mine in central Bulgaria because of ongoing legal challenges has been welcomed by the Cyanide-free Bulgaria coalition.

As reported in the Bulgarian media yesterday, [1] Dundee's announcement comes after more than five years of problems and controversies surrounding the Canadian company's plans to introduce cyanide leaching technologies in order to extract gold at the Chelopech mine.

With the legal appeals process [2] concerning permits for stage two of the Chelopech mine development expected to last upwards of two years, the Cyanide-free Bulgaria coalition has written to Dundee Precious Metals, encouraging the company to use this hiatus period to conduct further research into technologies safer than cyanide and to carry out improved public consultations.

Daniel Popov, Bankwatch national coordinator in Bulgaria and member of the Cyanide Free Bulgaria coalition, said: “With this statement of its intentions, and while we wait for the outcome of the legal processes, Dundee Precious Metals has some time to finally get things right on the Chelopech project. Economically viable solutions that are also safer for human health and the environment are available.

“Dundee Precious Metals should reassess the project by organising much improved public consultation and dialogue with those communities living downstream of the mine that may potentially be affected by the introduction of any new mining technology at Chelopech. We would like to see Dundee abandoning the cyanide approach, and it should devote some energy to carrying out a better analysis of the other available technologies that are better suited to the hydro-geological conditions in Bulgaria."

The Cyanide Free Bulgaria coalition has also pressed Dundee Precious Metals to ensure that certain of its legal responsibilities regarding health and safety measures at Chelopech are not delayed or jeopardised by the company putting the project on hold. [3]

For more information

Daniel Popov
Center for Environmental Information and Education/CEE Bankwatch Network
Tel: +359 886 818 794
Email: dpopov AT bankwatch.org

Notes for editors:

1. See here.

2. Background on the legal actions and the role played by the 'Cyanide Free Bulgaria' coalition is available here.

3. The health and safety measures include preventing the discharge of waste waters at the Chelopech mine exceeding the limits of the discharge permit, as well as the strengthening of the wall of the tailings management facility at the mining complex.