cyanide mining Philippines
- Thread starter PeterIMA
- Start date
Gresham,
Sorry about addressing Steve as Peter. I corrected the posting.
I am not questioning Lee's expertise about geology. I think we agree on its impact in countries like the Philippines. My comments were about a detailed review I did concerning the Marcopper mine on Marinduque Island. It confirmed what Lee had said.
For the review, I did a serious literature search. I also corresponded with Sister Aida Valesquez who was a nun with the Catholic church on Marinduque Island. The church officials were active in exposing the corruption of Ferdinand Marcos and actively opposed Marcopper for polluting Calacan Bay on Marinduque Island. The Marcopper mining situation has a rather long history and as I stated is a good example of corruption (by President Marcos) and incompetence by the head of DENR (Delphin Ganapen). If you want a copy of the review that I prepared, I can mail it to you.
The US Geological Survey is presently trying to assist the people of Marinduque Island that now have to deal with contaminated groundwater, tailings dust in the air, mercury pollution, unstable berms associated with areas where tailings were disposed of on land, a degraded marine environment, and depleted fisheries related to both overfishing and habitat destruction.
I don't think I am competing with Lee's expertise as a geologist. I did the report in question in 1991. Lee is welcome to become involved in trying to help the people of the Philippines with their mining problems. Anyone else who is interested can contact Dr. Catherine Coumans of Mining Watch in Ottawa, Canada.
Peter Rubec
Sorry about addressing Steve as Peter. I corrected the posting.
I am not questioning Lee's expertise about geology. I think we agree on its impact in countries like the Philippines. My comments were about a detailed review I did concerning the Marcopper mine on Marinduque Island. It confirmed what Lee had said.
For the review, I did a serious literature search. I also corresponded with Sister Aida Valesquez who was a nun with the Catholic church on Marinduque Island. The church officials were active in exposing the corruption of Ferdinand Marcos and actively opposed Marcopper for polluting Calacan Bay on Marinduque Island. The Marcopper mining situation has a rather long history and as I stated is a good example of corruption (by President Marcos) and incompetence by the head of DENR (Delphin Ganapen). If you want a copy of the review that I prepared, I can mail it to you.
The US Geological Survey is presently trying to assist the people of Marinduque Island that now have to deal with contaminated groundwater, tailings dust in the air, mercury pollution, unstable berms associated with areas where tailings were disposed of on land, a degraded marine environment, and depleted fisheries related to both overfishing and habitat destruction.
I don't think I am competing with Lee's expertise as a geologist. I did the report in question in 1991. Lee is welcome to become involved in trying to help the people of the Philippines with their mining problems. Anyone else who is interested can contact Dr. Catherine Coumans of Mining Watch in Ottawa, Canada.
Peter Rubec
Just a FYI, I wasn't knocking you when I said " If I wanna know everything about catfish, I ask you". I don't know squat about catfish, other then they taste good and are fun to catch 
I read quite a bit of web stuff on cyanide mining, the rebels, Marcos and PI a few years ago. Amazing how it all connects, and even gets into terrorism, if you call the rebal group MILF terrorists.
I read quite a bit of web stuff on cyanide mining, the rebels, Marcos and PI a few years ago. Amazing how it all connects, and even gets into terrorism, if you call the rebal group MILF terrorists.
Moro Islamic Liberation Front? You think theres humor in them killing civilians that have absolutly nothing to do with them not being able to ceceed from PI and form their own country? That aside, yup, MILF does get chuckles when I read it as well, but then I quickly toss that one aside and remember how serious they really are.
GreshamH":9sg9ed8h said:
geese
you know, i remember the first time (5th/6th grade, mebbe) that i read in a news magazine the acronym SALT for the strategic arms limitation treaty
i cracked up then, too-out loud, couldn't stop, and got thrown out of class, heh
it's just re: the acronym-of course i know it underlies something far more serious :roll:
but if you can't laugh at that-and still bear in mind the real issue and its realities , you may as well not continue going on, period.
i mean, a terrosist milf IS kinda hilarious-just imagine the 'guns' she'd use :lol:
You folks don't have envionmental engineering experience in the manufacturing or mining sector in the US, do you?
Getting a Clean Air Act - Title V, part 70 operating permit is a technical headache, during the Bush administration. Getting the govenment to agree with Potential To Emit (PTE) calculations and getting their sign off is a project in and of itself. Monthly Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) compliance demonstration requires nearly one dedicated staff person on a plant level. The continuing release of EPA Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards is keeping everyone on their toes.
The above was just a smattering of EPA's air requirements. I won't drone on about Industrial Pretreatment and storm water permitting and reporting requirements. I won't go on about EPCRA reporting requirements such as those for SARA Title III: 311, 312, 313. I definitely won't open the can of worms about environmental related regulations promulgated by OSHA and DOT. Suffice it to say that audit, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements are major.
Federal, State, and local government regulation has pretty much required that the average manufacturing or mining facility in the US have 2-4 dedicated environmental professionals on staff. These staff members and the facility manager sign many, many environmental certification documents per year which place legal responsibility squarely on their backs as private citizens and collectively on their company's back. I doubt that second and third world countries, such as the PI, will ever come close to placing as much responsibilty on manufacturing and mining operators as the US does.
I've never been a Bush backer (particularly regarding air grandfathering issues) but trust me, the EPA has very sharp teeth. Also, I'd say that during the last 6 years the EPA has become much more active and detailed regarding audit and inspection programs.
I've just gotten done successfully defending three manufaturing facilities during six weeks of EPA audit. They can make the IRS seem like very reasonable people.
Getting a Clean Air Act - Title V, part 70 operating permit is a technical headache, during the Bush administration. Getting the govenment to agree with Potential To Emit (PTE) calculations and getting their sign off is a project in and of itself. Monthly Prevention of Significant Deterioration (PSD) compliance demonstration requires nearly one dedicated staff person on a plant level. The continuing release of EPA Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) standards is keeping everyone on their toes.
The above was just a smattering of EPA's air requirements. I won't drone on about Industrial Pretreatment and storm water permitting and reporting requirements. I won't go on about EPCRA reporting requirements such as those for SARA Title III: 311, 312, 313. I definitely won't open the can of worms about environmental related regulations promulgated by OSHA and DOT. Suffice it to say that audit, recordkeeping, and reporting requirements are major.
Federal, State, and local government regulation has pretty much required that the average manufacturing or mining facility in the US have 2-4 dedicated environmental professionals on staff. These staff members and the facility manager sign many, many environmental certification documents per year which place legal responsibility squarely on their backs as private citizens and collectively on their company's back. I doubt that second and third world countries, such as the PI, will ever come close to placing as much responsibilty on manufacturing and mining operators as the US does.
I've never been a Bush backer (particularly regarding air grandfathering issues) but trust me, the EPA has very sharp teeth. Also, I'd say that during the last 6 years the EPA has become much more active and detailed regarding audit and inspection programs.
I've just gotten done successfully defending three manufaturing facilities during six weeks of EPA audit. They can make the IRS seem like very reasonable people.
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