Romanian village covered by polluted lake
A Romanian village is covered by water tainted with cyanide and other chemicals. The polluted lake was created in the 1970s by chemicals resulting from copper extraction by a state-owned copper mine. Thousands of anti-gold mine protesters have used the lake as an example and the government has rejected a bill for Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine.
- The old church of Geamana village is seen partially submerged by polluted water tainted with cyanide and other chemicals near Rosia Montana, central Romania, March 24, 2014. Romania’s lower house rejected a bill on June 3 that would have enabled Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine in the small Carpathian town of Rosia Montana, putting the project on hold indefinitely. The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine protesters into the streets across the European Union state last year, prompting the senate to strike it down. The sight of a nearby tailings pond that is the product of a decades-old industrial project, has been used by protesters to highlight fears about the potential fallout of the gold mine. State-owned copper miner Cupru Min started that pond in the 1970s under the communist regime when it poured polluted water tainted with cyanide and other chemicals that result from copper extraction over the village of Geamana, not far from Rosia Montana in Alba county. (Bogdan Cristel/Reuters photo)
- A polluted lake, tainted with cyanide and other chemicals, is seen covering Geamana village near Rosia Montana, central Romania, March 24, 2014. Romania’s lower house rejected a bill on June 3 that would have enabled Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine in the small Carpathian town of Rosia Montana, putting the project on hold indefinitely. The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine protesters into the streets across the European Union state last year, prompting the senate to strike it down. The sight of a nearby tailings pond that is the product of a decades-old industrial project, has been used by protesters to highlight fears about the potential fallout of the gold mine. State-owned copper miner Cupru Min started that pond in the 1970s under the communist regime when it poured polluted water tainted with cyanide and other chemicals that result from copper extraction over the village of Geamana, not far from Rosia Montana in Alba county. (Bogdan Cristel/Reuters photo)
- A polluted lake, tainted with cyanide and other chemicals, is seen covering Geamana village near Rosia Montana, central Romania, March 24, 2014. Romania’s lower house rejected a bill on June 3 that would have enabled Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine in the small Carpathian town of Rosia Montana, putting the project on hold indefinitely. The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine protesters into the streets across the European Union state last year, prompting the senate to strike it down. The sight of a nearby tailings pond that is the product of a decades-old industrial project, has been used by protesters to highlight fears about the potential fallout of the gold mine. State-owned copper miner Cupru Min started that pond in the 1970s under the communist regime when it poured polluted water tainted with cyanide and other chemicals that result from copper extraction over the village of Geamana, not far from Rosia Montana in Alba county. (Bogdan Cristel/Reuters photo)
- A polluted lake, tainted with cyanide and other chemicals, is seen covering Geamana village near Rosia Montana, central Romania, March 24, 2014. Romania’s lower house rejected a bill on June 3 that would have enabled Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine in the small Carpathian town of Rosia Montana, putting the project on hold indefinitely. The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine protesters into the streets across the European Union state last year, prompting the senate to strike it down. The sight of a nearby tailings pond that is the product of a decades-old industrial project, has been used by protesters to highlight fears about the potential fallout of the gold mine. State-owned copper miner Cupru Min started that pond in the 1970s under the communist regime when it poured polluted water tainted with cyanide and other chemicals that result from copper extraction over the village of Geamana, not far from Rosia Montana in Alba county. (Bogdan Cristel/Reuters photo)
- A polluted lake, tainted with cyanide and other chemicals, is seen covering Geamana village near Rosia Montana, central Romania, March 24, 2014. Romania’s lower house rejected a bill on June 3 that would have enabled Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine in the small Carpathian town of Rosia Montana, putting the project on hold indefinitely. The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine protesters into the streets across the European Union state last year, prompting the senate to strike it down. The sight of a nearby tailings pond that is the product of a decades-old industrial project, has been used by protesters to highlight fears about the potential fallout of the gold mine. State-owned copper miner Cupru Min started that pond in the 1970s under the communist regime when it poured polluted water tainted with cyanide and other chemicals that result from copper extraction over the village of Geamana, not far from Rosia Montana in Alba county. (Bogdan Cristel/Reuters photo)
- Warning signs are seen next to an old quarry near Rosia Montana, central Romania, March 24, 2014. Romania’s lower house rejected a bill on June 3 that would have enabled Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine in the small Carpathian town of Rosia Montana, putting the project on hold indefinitely. The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine protesters into the streets across the European Union state last year, prompting the senate to strike it down. (Bogdan Cristel/Reuters photo)
- The entrance of a closed goldmine gallery is seen near Rosia Montana, central Romania, March 24, 2014. Romania’s lower house rejected a bill on June 3 that would have enabled Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine in the small Carpathian town of Rosia Montana, putting the project on hold indefinitely. The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine protesters into the streets across the European Union state last year, prompting the senate to strike it down. (Bogdan Cristel/Reuters photo)
- A general view of an old quarry is seen near Rosia Montana, central Romania, March 24, 2014. Romania’s lower house rejected a bill on June 3 that would have enabled Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine in the small Carpathian town of Rosia Montana, putting the project on hold indefinitely. The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine protesters into the streets across the European Union state last year, prompting the senate to strike it down. (Bogdan Cristel/Reuters photo)
- The entrance of a closed goldmine gallery is seen near Rosia Montana, central Romania, March 24, 2014. Romania’s lower house rejected a bill on June 3 that would have enabled Canada’s Gabriel Resources to set up Europe’s biggest open-cast gold mine in the small Carpathian town of Rosia Montana, putting the project on hold indefinitely. The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine protesters into the streets across the European Union state last year, prompting the senate to strike it down. (Bogdan Cristel/Reuters photo)