Analyses are underway at the Ity Gold Mine (western Ivory Coast), operated by Endeavour Mining, to determine whether the water table has been affected, as well as the Cavally River, which irrigates the region.
During a press conference on Monday, July 1, 2024, at the headquarters of the mining company Endeavour, in Abidjan, the country director, Ms. Laetitia Ouattara, said that 3,000 liters of cyanide were spilled on the perimeter of the site following a van rupture on June 23, 2024.
“This is a rupture of a van containing quantities of cyanide which broke, followed by a flow of 3,000 liters of this product into the diversion channel,” a space located on the perimeter of the Ity gold mine, she indicated.
Laetitia Ouattara explained that at the level of the vans transporting the sludge to the tailings park, “there was a rupture on one of the vans which was very contiguous with the runoff water, (where) there were fish which were found dead in the diversion canal, but not in the Cavally River.”
“This is not a flow that occurred in the Cavally River,” she insisted, reassuring that after the incident, CIAPOL, the Ivorian anti-pollution center, was immediately contacted to measure the environmental impact.
In addition, the departmental directorates of mines and geology were kept informed for analysis. According to Laetitia Ouattara, “the preliminary report of CIAPOL says that there is no critical situation that required the cessation of operations.”
In the process, a committee with griots was set up to raise awareness among local populations about the incident. Doctors from the mining company examined 28 people, but “none had symptoms of poisoning.”
Furthermore, “local nurses have also carried out consultations and we are waiting for the prescriptions, to date,” she continued, stressing that the prefect organized a meeting at the Zouan-Hounien prefecture to reassure the communities.
“We will also call on an analysis laboratory to carry out analyses on the water from the wells, because people are saying that the water has been contaminated, but so far, we have no proof of pollution of the water table,” she added.
Operations were carried out after the incident, namely scraping of the cyanide-affected soil, while dead fish were incinerated. Tests were carried out in the diversion channel, where the cyanide-impacted sludge was discharged.
During this conference, Ms. Djariatou Traoré, Executive Vice President in charge of sustainable development of the mining group, announced days dedicated to the sustainable environment, from July 1 to 5, 2024.
During this period, emphasis will be placed on Environment, Social and Governance (ESG). This initiative aims to involve staff in the group’s strategy on issues related to sustainable development challenges.
Endeavour Mining operates in West Africa, in three countries, notably in Côte d’Ivoire on the Ity gold mine, in Senegal, in the locality of Sabodala and in Burkina Faso, on the sites of Houndé and Mana.
AP/WHAT
