INCIDENTS

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE ACCIDENT

NEWS ARCHIVE

1. News Releases

2. Facts and Measurements

3. UNEP and the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit

4. Briefing Papers

5. Government

6. Esmeralda Exploration Ltd

7. Mineral Industry 

8. Non-governmental Organisations (NGO's)

9. Comment

News Releases

• ABC Online News - Australian Television Network.

  • 14/03/00 - Romania offered assistance to improve environmental standards

• Australian Financial Review - newspaper

  • 18/02/00 - Class-action Specialist in case against Esmeralda

• BBC World Europe

  • 31/01/01 - ONE YEAR ON: ROMANIA'S CYANIDE SPILL

  • 31/01/01 - HUNGARY SEEKS POLLUTION DAMAGES

  • 10/03/00 - New toxic spill hits Eastern Europe

  • 04/03/00 - UN ends cyanide spill survey

• The Canadian Press

  • 07/03/00 - Water-quality alert lifted on Tisza River

• The Christian Science Monitor

  • 08/03/00 - Signs of life on Tisza and Danube

• CNN.com

  • 13/03/00 - Hungary wants Romania pollution hazards identified

  • 10/03/00 - Romanian mine pollutes river near Ukraine, Hungary

  • 18/02/00 - Australia offers to help clean up European cyanide spill

• ENN - Environmental News Network

  • 20/02/01 - CYANIDE SPILLS AND GLOBAL WARMING

  • 23/02/00 - How Safe are the States from Cyanide?

• Environmental Data Service Ltd (ENDS) - ENDS Environmental Daily 

  • 28/02/00 - Spanish disaster mine liability unresolved

• European Commission

  • 25/02/00 - EU Names Head of  Spill Task Force 

  • 18/02/00 - 'Cyanide Pollution - Statement by Commissioner Wallstrom'

• Lycos Environment News Service (ENS)

  • 15/01/01 - Disastrous Romanian Cyanide Spills Could Have Been Worse

  • 28/07/00 - Romanian Gold Mine Reopens Despite Cyanide Disaster Fears

  • 14/07/00 - Man Swims Danube River for Environmental Protection

  • 06/06/00 - Danube River Green Corridor Created

  • 26/04/00 - UN Report: Pollution Remains After Romanian Cyanide Spill

  • 13/04/00 - Hungary Urged to Protect Embattled Rivers

  • 06/04/00 - Mine Waste Risk for European Rivers Still High

  • 22/03/00 - Greenpeace seals entrance to Romanian Cyanide Spill Site 

  • 16/03/00 - Cyanide Spill Mine Takes 1st Step Towards Bankruptcy

  • 11/03/00 - Another Mine Spill Poisons Rivers in Romania, Hungary

  • 16/02/00 - Cyanide spill propels demand for eco-emergency force

  • 15/02/00 - UN Scientists sample Danube for cyanide

  • 10/02/00 - Toxic mine waste fouls Eastern European rivers

• National Geographic Society

  • 23/02/00 - Hardrock Mining Reform Stalled

• NewsEdge Corporation

  • Hungary Ready to Settle but Sticks to Claim Over Cyanide Pollution

• NineMSN News - Australian Channel 9 Television Network - Online version

• 16/03/00 - Cyanide spill sends Aussie Miner into Administration

• Planet Ark (Reuters) 

  • 01/12/01 - HUNGARY CLAIMS $100 MLN OVER CYANIDE RIVER SPILL

  • 21/05/01 - CYANIDE SPILL LEADS TO SEVERE ECONOMIC LOSS - STUDY

  • 22/01/01 - ROMANIA REPORTS RIVER POLLUTION WITH CYANIDE

  • 17/01/01 - HUNGARY, ROMANIA SEEK EU FUNDS TO STOP TOXIC SPILLS

  • 17/12/00 - EU environment chief sees new mining waste rules

  • 17/12/00 - EU cyanide report an ace for court case - Hungary

  • 11/09/00 - Report Warns of Mining Risks to European Environment

  • 04/09/00 - Miner Denies Settlement Aim Over Hungary Cyanide Spill

  • 26/07/00 - Romania Reports Minor River Pollution Near Hungary

  • 11/07/00 - Hungary to Sue Australia Firm for $110M Over Spill

  • 06/06/00 - Lower Danube States Sign Environment Accord

  • 26/04/00 - Design, weather caused Romanian cyanide spill - UN

  • 14/04/00 - Romania says no new risk of river pollution

  • 27/03/00 - Disasters raise questions about Australian miners

  • 27/03/00 - Hungary unsure of compensation for cyanide spill

  • 23/03/00 - Cyanide Decontamination Begins in Papua New Guinea

  • 20/03/00 - New Romania river pollution near Ukraine, Hungary

  • 17/03/00 - Hungary to sue firms over river pollution

  • 16/03/00 - Romania denies new river pollution scare

  • 16/03/00 - Romania mulls Hungarian pollution plan

  • 16/03/00 - Hungary asks Romania to shut down hazardous plants

  • 13/03/00 - Hungary wants Romania pollution hazards identified

  • 29/02/00 - Hungary finds 200 tonnes of dead fish after spill

  • 25/02/00 - EU Creates Task Force to Study Cyanide Leak Impact

  • 23/02/00 - Australian experts probe Romania cyanide spill

  • 21/02/00 - After cyanide spill, river dwellers look to future

  • 21/02/00 - Hungary Greens urge Europe cooperation over spill

  • 21/02/00 - FOCUS - Cyanide spill amongst worst river pollutions

  • 18/02/00 - Tisza cyanide spill must not recur

  • 17/02/00 - Balkan countries to help Danube pollution cleanup

  • 16/02/00 - FOCUS - Romania admits responsibility for spill 

  • 15/02/00 - Australian gold miner denies poisoning Danube

  • 15/02/00 - Dead fish in Danube as cyanide flows downriver

  • 15/02/00 - Romania and Hungary discuss cyanide spill

  • 14/02/00 - WWF Renews calls for EU action against toxic waste

  • 14/02/00 - Problems not new at Romania gold operation - REPORT

  • 14/02/00 - FOCUS - Cyanide pollutes Yugoslav waters

  • 11/02/00 - Cyanide from Romania spill reaches Serbia downriver

  • 11/02/00 - Australian miner rejects cyanide disaster reports

  • 11/02/00 - Romania says gold mine ignored environment warnings

  • 10/02/00 - Esmeralda says cyanide leak at Romania mine

  • 09/02/00 - Hungary hit by cyanide spill, blames Romania

• Reuters Business Briefing

  • 25/02/00 - Czech experts leave to monitor cyanide in Tisza, Danube

  • 25/02/00 - Danube Fish Tested for Heavy Metals

  • 25/02/00 - Pollution - Rivers Danube and Tisza

   

• SundayHerald

  • 01/02 - COURT SAYS GOLD-MINING FIRM IS STILL USING CYANIDE THAT KILLED HUNGARIAN WILDLIFE

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Facts and Measurements

• Hungary - Ministry for Environment

  • Cyanide Pollution - Preliminary Evaluation - Report on Baia Mare spill and its effects, includes tables and figures.

  • Quick Report On the Catastrophe of Rivers Szamos and Tisza - Baia Mare cyanide spill.
    

• European Union

  • 26/02/00 - EU Standing Veterinary Committee - Summary of analysis of Baia Mare cyanide spill effects.
    

• Greenpeace

  • Report on Baia Mare spill - The Real Face of the Kangaroo (Adobe Acrobat pdf document)

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UNEP and the Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit

• UN Economic Commission for Europe (ECE)

  • News item on the Convention for Transboundary Effects of Industrial Accidents entry into force on 19 April 2000.

• UNEP/OCHA Final Report

  • 19/04/00 - The final report on Cyanide Spill at Baia Mare, Romania UNEP/OCHA Assessment Mission (pdf format, 1.73 MB)

• UNEP News Releases

  • 22/03/00 - Press Release - Second Meeting of the Parties to Convention on Protection and Use of Transboundary Watercourses and International Lakes

  • EnTA - Successful conclusion of regional workshop on Environmental Technology Assessment of Cyanide Processing

  • 13/03/00 - UN to assist Hungary immediately with new industrial spill from Romania

  • 07/03/00 - United Nations experts end survey of cyanide spill Assessment report scheduled for end-March

  • 25/02/00 - UN Emergency Assistance Assessment Mission.....

  • 25/02/00 - UNEP/OCHA team begin sampling at Baia Mare mine site in Romania

  • 20/02/00 - Cyanide Poisoning in Danube still a cause for concern

  • 20/02/00 - UN experts to begin scientific assessment of cyanide spill damage

  • 15/02/00 - UNEP-led Balkans Task Force scientists begin sampling of Danube river in wake of Romania cyanide spill

• UNEP - Balkans Task Force (BTF)

• Joint UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit, Disaster Response Branch - The Unit provides assistance to countries affected by environmental, technological and industrial disasters

  • Information Brochure on the UNEP/OCHA Environment Unit - Document

• OCHA Situation Report

  • 15/03/00 -  Mining waste spill from the Baia Borsa processing complex in Romania - OCHA Situation Report No. 1

• OCHA - United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs

  • OCHA Online - Home page

  • OCHA Situation Report

    • 15/03/00 -  Mining waste spill from the Baia Borsa processing complex in Romania

• OCHA Relief Web - News and information resource for humanitarian relief

  • Document releases by country containing information relating to the Baia Mare and Baia Borsa tailings spills.  

    • Romania

    • Hungary

• UNEP Division of Technology, Industry and Economics (DTIE)  -  Awareness and Preparedness for Emergencies at Local Level (APELL) programme.  The APELL program is a means of creating public awareness, developing emergency plans, and encouraging prevention of hazards.  Extensive information is available from the APELL home page.

  • A briefing paper providing information on the APELL Programme is available on the ENVIRONMENT site in Adobe Acrobat ( pdf) format.

• WHO Collaborating Centre for an International Clearing House for Major Chemical Incidents

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Briefing Papers

• About Cyanide

• The Use of Cyanide in Mining

• Tailings Dam Safety at Mine Sites

• APELL and Tails Dams

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Government

• Romania

  • Preliminary Evaluation - The accidental pollution with cyanides of the rivers Lapus, Somes, Tisa and Danube. The report on the Baia Mare cyanide spill  is available in English, Romanian, and French.

  • Government of Romania - Home Page.

  • Ministry of Waters, Forests and Environmental Protection

  • Environmental Protection Agency Baia Mare

• Hungary

• Prime Ministers Office - Recent news releases. 

• 16/02/00 - Hungary to Launch Three Lawsuits in Cyanide Incident

• 17/02/00 - Tolerance on Austria, action on Tisza - The Budapest Sun newspaper

• Ministry for Environment

  • Cyanide Pollution - Preliminary Evaluation - Report on Baia Mare spill and its effects, includes tables and figures.

  • Quick Report On the Catastrophe of Rivers Szamos and Tisza - The report includes measurements of the Baia Mare spill cyanide levels taken at various sites along the Szamos and Tisza Rivers, includes a detailed map with the sampling locations marked. 

• Federal Republic of Yugoslavia - Serbia

• Ministry of Information -Serbia - News releases.

• 'UN offers help on cleaning-up rivers of cyanide' - News release.

• European Commission

  • 12/00 - Report of the International Task Force for Assessing the Baia Mare Accident (December 2000) is available at EU site (http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/enlarg/home.htm#baiamare).

  • 26/02/00 - EU Standing Veterinary Committee - Summary of analyse of Baia Mare cyanide spill effects.

  • 'White Paper on Environmental Liability' - Relevant to the current tailings spill issue.  Full text, press release and feedback form on the White Paper is available.  Document is available in a number of languages.

  • 'Guidelines for Water Resources Development Co-operation: Towards Sustainable Water Resources Management.  A Strategic Approach.'  Relevant to the current tailings spill issue.  The document is available in English, French, and Portugese.

  • 18/02/00 - 'Cyanide Pollution - Statement by Commissioner Wallstrom'
    

• Australia

  • Environment Australia (EA)

    • EA - Best Practice Environmental Management in Mining - Cyanide Management Booklet.  The Contents, Introduction, and a Case Study from the booklet are available online.  This information is also available through the Australian Minerals and Energy Environment Foundation (AMEEF) website.

  • Western Australia State Government - Department of Minerals and Energy (DME)

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Esmeralda Exploration Ltd

• Esmeralda Exploration Ltd  - Home page.

• Update on Romanian Cyanide Issue from Esmeralda Exploration Ltd website.

• Aurul to Recommence Operations at Baia Mare

• Media Statements by Esmeralda Exploration Ltd to the Australian Stock Exchange

• 15/03/00 - Appointment of Administrators

• 17/02/00 - Amended Chairman's Statement re: Tailings Dam Spill Romania

• 11/02/00 - Resignation of Director

• 10/02/00 - Media Statement by Brett Montgomery Chairman of Esmeralda

• 09/02/00 - Baia Mare Tailings Re-treatment Project

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Mineral Industry

The following organisations are representative bodies, news and information sources for the mineral industry.

• International Council on Metals and the Environment (ICME)

• Minerals Council of Australia (MCA)

  • 01/03/00 - February Monthly Minerals Update - Editorial

• The Chamber of Minerals and Energy of Western Australia, Inc.

  • Cyanide Information

• World Gold Council

• Info-mine - a large and comprehensive source of news and information concerning all aspects of worldwide mining and mineral exploration.

  • 11/02/00 - 'Mine related spills tarnish industry image' - News article looking at effect of the Baia Mare cyanide spill on the mining industries image.

• The Mining Journal Ltd

  • 18/02/00 - Romanian Tailings Spill

• Invest Romania

  • Magazine 14 - Winter 1999-2000 - Going for Gold

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Non Governmental Organisations (NGO's)

• Australian Minerals and Energy Environment Foundation (AMEEF)

• Friends of the Earth (FoE)

  • Ecological Disaster  -website of information related to the Baia Mare cyanide spill.

• International Commission on Large Dams (ICOLD)

• Greenpeace

  • 22/03/00 - Greenpeace seals off entrance of Aurul gold mine in Romania and calls for full compensation for the region

  • 14/03/00 - Greenpeace Report warns of further water contamination in Romania and Hungary

  • Report on Baia Mare spill - The Real Face of the Kangaroo (Adobe Acrobat pdf document)

  • Toxic Accidents web page - Includes information on the Baia Mare spill, mining accidents, and other industrial accidents.

  • 22/03/00 - Greenpeace seals off entrance of Aurul gold mine in Romania and calls for full compensation for the region

  • 14/03/00 - Greenpeace Report warns of further water contamination in Romania and Hungary

• Mineral Policy Institute (MPI) - Australian based environmental group. 

  • 11/03/00 - Second toxic mine spill threatens Hungary

  • 28/02/00 - Mine in Cyanide Row Brings in PR Experts

  • 21/02/00 - UN: Experts Fear Huge Impact Of Cyanide Spill

  • 18/02/00 - Press Release - Hungary Faces More Cyanide Problems: Long Lasting Damage Likely In Eastern Europe

  • 14/02/00 - Press Release - European Catastrophe: Binding Regulation Needed To Repair Australia's Reputation

• The Regional Environment Center for Eastern and Central Europe (REC)
  The organisation encourages cooperation among non-governmental organisations, governments, businesses and other environmental stakeholders, by supporting the free exchange of information and by promoting public participation in environmental decision-making.

  • 06/99 - Assessment of the Environmental Impact of Military Activities During the Yugoslavia Conflict - Report prepared by REC for the European Commission DG-XI - Environment, Nuclear Safety and Civil Protection.

• World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) - European Policy Office (WWF EPO)

  • 11/03/00 - New mining spill threatens recovery of rivers

  • 11/03/00 - Latest toxic spill: WWF call went unheeded

  • 09/03/00 - WWF Presents recovery plan for rivers hit by cyanide spill

  • 22/02/00 - Press Release - River disaster preventable, WWF tells mining industry

  • 18/02/00 - Press Release - Dam must be secured to prevent further damage, warns WWF

  • 11/02/00 - Latest Toxic Spill: WWF Call Went Unheeded

  • 09/02/00 - The Biggest Ever Freshwater Disaster in Central and Eastern Europe

  • Crisis: Rivers of Cyanide - WWF website on Romanian tailings spills, includes: press releases, photographs, and links to related information.

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Comment

• Minerals Council of Australia

  • 01/03/00 - February Monthly Minerals Update - Editorial

• Biopolitics International Organisation

  • 29/02/00 - International Environmental Emergency Body Coping with Environmental Disasters

• The Mining Journal Ltd

  • 18/02/00 - Romanian Tailings Spill

• InfoMine

  • 11/02/00 - Indepth News - Mine related spills tarnish industry image