The copper exploitation in Rosia Poieni, close to an ecological disaster

The area neighbouring the copper exploitation from Rosia Poieni is under the threat of an ecological disaster. An official from Alba (West Romania), Stefan Bardan, brought in the Government’s attention the dangerous situation from the copper quarry. „The situation is still stable as we speak, but it is an ecological bomb”, Bardan told the government on July 29.

„I also informed the Interior Minister, the Economy Minister and the Environment Minister on the copper exploitation in Roais Poieni. The company that contracted the cooperation with state company CupruMin gave up the contract, redrew, but they’re no longer performing the neutralisation. This is where we have an actual problem”, the Alba official said.

The situation can only be controlled for ten days

The quarry represents a menace after Energomineral company, which was supposed to perform the neutralisation and ecology procedures, gave up its contract with the state company. More precisely, SC Energomineral Bucharest, a company that exploited and used the copper from Rosia Poieni quarry, gave up a cooperation contract sealed in the summer of 2007 with SC Cuprumin SA Abrud.

„From this moment on, it is the obligation of the state company, where the majority shareholder is the state”, Stefan Abrud added. Practically, the ecology procedures responsibility needs to be taken over by the state, through CupruMin.

To make the quarry ecological, big lime quantities need to be bought. „We managed to get free lime for another ten days”, the Alba prefect said.

The situation in Rosia Poieni came to President Traian Basescu’s attention, when he visited the surrounding areas in mid-July.