in Côtes-d’Armor, a village fractured by the expansion of an andalusite mine – Libération

The town of Glomel, 1,400 inhabitants, is torn apart over the project to extend the neighboring mine. Some are worried about nuisances and the risk of pollution, others are delighted about the sustainability of their jobs. A festive march was organized by opponents this Saturday, November 23.

Under a stormy sky, in the heart of the humid valleys of Côtes-d'Armor, a group of around a hundred people brave the pouring rain, armed with colorful signs and Gwenn ha Du, the famous Breton flag. The local branch of the Earth Uprisings called for mobilization this Saturday, November 23, against the proposed extension of the local mine, a few kilometers from Glomel, a small village of 1,400 inhabitants.

The struggle is tearing the commune apart between the anti- and the pro-mine. It is also emblematic of the issues of the time. On the one hand, some are worried about water pollution, health and environmental consequences as well as noise pollution. On the other, there are those who defend their jobs, in a suffering rural sector.

20% of global andalusite production

After an hour of walking, under the sound of speakers and fanfare, a black slag heap emerges. These “waste rock pours”, excavated hills of rock more common in northern France, reach around a hundred meters here, destroying the marshy landscapes typical of Central Brittany. “We see the mine growing, the waste rock pours are impressivedeplores Anna, from the Mines de rien coalition, organizer of the mobilization. Some are almost the size of the area’s iconic hills.” Because the grip of the quarry, “which has all the characteristics of a mine” according to its detractors, is expanding visibly. “The deformation of our landscapes greatly disturbs the inhabitants”