Mining company hit with severe penalties for dangerous acts with toxic waste: 'High concentrations'

A Canadian mining company has been hit with a $114,750 fine after repeatedly dumping illegal amounts of cobalt-laced waste into a river system in British Columbia, Victoria News reported.

What happened?

Provincial inspectors discovered that Barrick Gold Inc. discharged liquid waste with cobalt concentrations up to 7,011% above legal limits into Hedley Creek, which flows into the Similkameen River. The violations occurred on 17 occasions over two years, with average concentrations of 1,155% above permitted levels.

Jason Bourgeois, director of the Environmental Management Act, expressed concerns in his assessment.

"Cobalt is an essential element for human and animal life but is toxic in high concentrations," Bourgeois stated, per the Victoria News. "High concentrations of cobalt can result in reduced growth and emergence and reproductive effects in aquatic invertebrates, [and] aquatic invertebrates are a food source for salmonids and considered good indicators of chronic long term contaminant impacts."

Why is mining pollution concerning?

Contamination from mining operations poses serious threats to water ecosystems and the wildlife depending on them. When cobalt levels spike in waterways, the small organisms that fish rely on for food struggle to survive and reproduce.

The pollution occurred in a sensitive watershed that supports aquatic life and provides water resources for communities downstream. Mining waste often contains heavy metals and chemicals that can persist in ecosystems for years, accumulating in plants and animals throughout the food chain.

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What's being done about mining pollution?

Regulatory penalties like those imposed on Barrick Gold aim to deter future violations and protect water systems. You can help by supporting stronger environmental enforcement and reporting suspicious discharges to local environmental agencies.

Organizations working on mining reform advocate for improved technologies that reduce waste and better contain harmful substances. Some mining companies have begun implementing closed-loop water systems that prevent discharge into natural waterways.

You can also reduce your demand for new minerals by recycling electronics containing cobalt and other metals. This decreases the pressure for extraction and helps protect waterways from mining pollution. Many local recycling centers accept old phones, computers, and batteries that contain valuable minerals that can be recovered without new mining.

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