Local voices for a clean environment

Community members travel to Guatemala City.      PHOTO: James Rodríguez, www.mimundo.org

In San Marcos, Guatemala, Canadian mining giant Goldcorp operates the Marlin gold mine and uses toxic cyanide to extract gold.  The indigenous communities of San Miguel Ixtahuacan and Sipacapa are suffering and their water is contaminated.

Residents traveled to Guatemala City in May (above) to protest the corporation’s activities in the Guatemalan highlands.  This coincided with Goldcorp’s annual shareholders’ meeting.

ELAW partners in Guatemala are helping community members understand the science behind community health problems.  For example, residents show signs of contact dermatitis.  ELAW scientists explained that this is likely due to exposure to arsenic, a potent carcinogen that could be released to the environment in mining wastes.  ELAW scientists interpreted the results of surface water quality analysis conducted by a local organization.  The analysis revealed that surface waters near the Marlin mine contain excessive levels of arsenic.  ELAW partners and a local organization will use this information to call on Goldcorp to clean up its act.