Another Spill In Mineral Pipeline Between Bajo La Alumbrera And Tucumán

Another Spill in Mineral Pipeline between Bajo La Alumbrera and Tucumán

12th June 2006

www.primerafuente.com.ar

There has been a new spill in the mineral pipeline which links the mine Bajo La Alumbrera in Catamarca, Argentina with the pumping plant in Cevil Pozo (Tucumán). Spokespersons for the multinational mining company Xstrata played down the incident. Some four kilometers north of Villa Vil, in the Department of Belén, approximately one hundred workers labored in a clean up operation for the collection of mineral concentrate spilled in the rupture of the pipeline. The spill was noticed in the afternoon yesterday, and the company reported that due to a rapid shutdown in the pumping operation, only 25 cubic meters of the highly toxic concentrate was released.