(de Ware Tijd) PARAMARIBO – The State’s environmental watchdog has taken action at gold mining company Iamgold where three cyanide leaks occurred within a month’s time. “We have concluded that supervision by the company is inadequate,” Cedric Nelom, acting head of the National Institute for the Environment and Development (Nimos), tells de WareTijd.
Iamgold’s management has been ordered to write a “better prevention plan,” including an increased frequency of inspections. “The pipes must not just be inspected. Pressure tests must be conducted to uncover potential leaks in time,” Nelom adds. Iamgold must submit the new plan to Nimos for approval as soon as possible. “The plan has already been written and we’re implementing Nimos’ recommendations,” Iamgold spokesman Roy Van Aerde says. All pipes used to transport cyanide are being replaced with stainless steel pipes. He somewhat contradicts Nimos’ findings, saying, “The pipes are inspected at least four times a day, and pressure tests are also conducted.” No problems occurred for over a year, but the possibility of things going wrong three times within a short time cannot be excluded. Besides, the leaks were “minimal, and thus negligible.”
The incidents in Brokopondo have exposed some of Nimos’ weaknesses. The institute is not able to perform impartial inspections and step up monitoring. “We are willing to do that, but the necessary legal basis is lacking,” Nelom admits. “This is certainly an eye-opener for the State that we must be better equipped. We should ask now what action we ought to take in the future to prevent this from happening again,” he says.
