Mexico Mining Disaster May Have Seeped Into U.S.
By Sara Jerome,
@sarmje
A major toxic mining spill that contaminated a river in Mexico may have also sullied U.S. waters.
"U.S. authorities are testing a river in Arizona for possible cross-border contamination from a toxic mine spill in northwestern Mexico," Agence France Presse reported, citing an official.
"The checks came after a massive acid leak in the Sonora River from the Buenavista copper mine, the worst environmental disaster on record in Mexico's mining industry," the report said.
Mexico officials alerted U.S. leaders about the potential crossover.
"Authorities in a northern Mexican state issued a binational alert after contaminants from a copper mine spilled into a river that flows into the U.S. state of Arizona," the Associated Press reported.
"Carlos Jesus Arias, director of the Sonora state civil protection agency, said the contamination from the Buenavista del Cobre mine in Cananea had reached the San Pedro River," the report said.
After the spill threatened the water supply in Mexico, it prompted public outrage and may lead to policy shifts.
"Local and federal officials are now gearing up to bolster environmental regulations...An estimated 22,000 people in seven surrounding municipalities faced the threat of a contaminated water supply; more than 80 schools closed for a week for fear that children would come into contact with toxic chemicals; and farmers and cattle ranchers along the river have lost huge revenue," International Business Times reported.
The acid spill at a Grupo Mexico unit contaminated at least two rivers. Water in the Sonora River "contains arsenic, cadmium, copper, chrome and mercury," Bloomberg reported.
The cleanup could be costly and difficult. Recent estimates say it could reach billions of Mexican pesos, the Wall Street Journal reported, noting that "a hundred million pesos is roughly $7.7 million." In addition, the government wants to fine the mining company $3 million.
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