Copyright 2001 WWF International
October 31, 2001

Madrid, Spain - The Swedish-Canadian mining company, Boliden Limited is courting environmental disaster and potentially putting more than one million people's drinking water at risk by withdrawing from Spain's Doņana National Park, without properly closing down its mine there, according to WWF, the conservation organziation.

Just over three years ago, on 25 April 1998, the Aznolcóllar mine caused a huge environmental disaster when a tailings lagoon broke, spilling nearly six million cubic metres of sludge and contaminated water and destroying 6000 hectares of rivers and marshlands. Economic losses came to 345.7 million Euros, and the natural ecosystem was irreversibly damaged. Now Boliden Limited is pulling out of Aznolcóllar. It is suspending payments, sacking 425 workers and leaving behind an environmental deficit of 298 million Euros.

"WWF believes that it is wrong for Boliden Limited to abandon the area, a World Heritage Site, without restoring it," said Guido Schmidt, WWF's project coordinator for Doņana. "Such actions cast doubt over the credibility of the European Mining Industry. They must show that they do care about the damage that they cause by finding funds to fully restore Doņana and protect it from further accidents."

WWF believes that unless action is taken to restore the mine, within 75 years, a mixture of sludge, rock and contaminated water will seep into the Niebla Posadas aquifer. This aquifer supplies drinking water to nearly a million people in Seville and the surrounding area. Experts from the University of Madrid back up WWF's findings and have warned that that if the water purification plant stops, water levels will rise and acid water will reach the land and once again flood. The Guadalquivir Water Basin Authority has also said that it considers the rubber seal of the mine, put in place by Boliden, to be insecure and a potential cause of contamination in both Guadiamar and Doņana.

According to the Spanish ministry of the Environment, another 42 million Euros are needed to restore the mine and ensure that it will be safe in the future. Since the accident, Boliden Aspira has set aside 68 million Euros to clean up Guadiamar and dismantle the mine. The council of Andalucia has given 145 million Euros to clean up after the mining disaster, and the Ministry of the Environment has set aside 43 million Euros. These figures illustrate efforts from environmental public administrations to restore the area. But, WWF criticises the fact that neither the company concerned, nor these administrations have set aside money nor taken responsibility for future accidents.

"It is not enough to do a superficial clean up and then leave. Boliden and the local authorities have to take responsibility for what could be a long term problem potentially affecting over a million people and devastating once more this fragile ecosystem," Guido Schmidt added.

For further information contact:

Miguel Ángel Valladares or Paola Robles, WWF Spain on tel: + 34 91 354 0578 Error: Unable to read footer file.