Ten years later, sustainable development imperatives have been reversed and communities are reported The loss of livelihood and income due to the effects of large-scale mining is even greater, amounting to 47 percent of pre-mining income.
Biodiversity targets set by QMM include: fell into doubt Since 2016, Rio Tinto officially abandoned its corporate obligation to achieve Net Positive Impact (NPI).
Most egregiously, the contamination of local waterways by QMM is exacerbating food insecurity and loss of livelihoods, and creating new health problems for already vulnerable populations.
harm
The mine breached the environmental buffer zone in 2014, permanently placing mine tailings at the bottom of Lake Betharoy, exposing the local estuary to toxic pollutants.
Elevated uranium and lead Levels were detected in the water downstream of the mine. QMM mine reservoirs store mining process wastewater and mineral waste (tailings) before being released into the environment. uranium level 50 times higher than the WHO safe drinking water guidelines.
Local residents have complained of health problems since the mining began, and by 2024 lawsuit The scheme was launched citing the discovery of high blood lead levels (BLL) in a cohort of villagers living adjacent to the mine.
QMM has experienced four mine tailings dam failures since 2010, two of which in 2022, leading to fish kills, fishing bans, months of conflict, and reported human rights violations.
waste water
High levels of aluminum and cadmium, along with increased acidity (low pH) of QMM mine process wastewater, may have produced acidic mine drainage. Possible causes of fish death.
Over the past five years, fish stocks have declined and water quality has become a subject of controversy and conflict.
A recent effort by QMM is to use a new method to remove unauthorized levels of aluminum from mine process wastewater. treatment plant There are no signs of addressing other heavy metal contaminants.
Instead, the new $13 million factory will New threats to the environment Sludge from undisclosed toxic sludge that QMM admits the state of Madagascar cannot control.
transparency
The company denies that QMM has a negative impact on the environment, a denial it has repeatedly made to Madagascar. civil society demands For independent water impact assessment in QMM.
Rio Tinto fails to share promised research results on 2022 dam failure; Report issues The content disseminated in 2024 did little to encourage confidence in the company’s claims about water quality.
An investigation is underway into the repression of citizens protesting the QMM. taken away The Business and Human Rights Resource Center calls for greater transparency in Rio Tinto’s policies towards human rights defenders.
investor There is growing concern about water issues in Madagascar’s QMM. Also at Rio Tinto’s other mine sites.
justified
Thirty years after Andrew’s death, the QMM mine appears to have benefited only a small group of Madagascar’s local elite and Rio Tinto shareholders.
Rural villagers living in fragile coastal forests and along estuaries are struggling. became poorAnd they live with greater risks to their health, human rights, and livelihoods than before the mines arrived.
In this respect, Andrew’s concerns about the Anosi region were justified and an advocacy campaign was launched to hold Rio Tinto accountable at national and international levels as a legacy of the struggle for transparency and human rights.
many thanks ecologist for amplify Struggle in Madagascar.
right to reply
This was announced by a Rio Tinto spokesperson. ecologist: “QIT Madagascar Minerals (QMM) has provided employment and economic activity to the Anosi region of Madagascar for over 20 years. We conduct our business with the highest standards of integrity and transparency for the benefit of our local communities. We have always strived to operate QMM. We operate in very sensitive areas from a water and wider environmental perspective and we take our responsibilities to them very seriously, addressing specific issues raised by community members. It also provides tangible and sustainable benefits to host communities. We recognize that we are committed to engaging in a constructive dialogue on how we can reduce the impact of our operations, and that is why we are committed to engaging in a constructive dialogue on how we can reduce the impact of our operations.As such, we are committed to engaging in a constructive dialogue on how we can reduce the impact of our operations. As part of the agreement, we will The company has committed to increasing its support to US$4 million per year over 25 years, half of which will be spent locally and half in the region, within the mine lease area and in Mandena, in accordance with government regulatory requirements. Extensive water quality monitoring program in the area As part of this program, we are also conducting additional monitoring and sampling of groundwater, surface water, and seawater quality for Ehoara Port activities. We strive to be transparent and In the year QMM Water Report 2021-2023 and a three-year radiation community survey conducted by international environmental experts, JBS&G Australia Pty Ltd. This report is QMM website. ”
this author
Yvonne Orengo is an independent communications consultant. Andrew Rees Trust (ALT UK) is a British charity founded in 1994 following the death of its namesake. She lived in southern Madagascar and worked to develop social and environmental programs. She has been following the development of the Rio Tinto/QMM mine for 30 years and is actively involved in research and advocacy campaigns on QMM issues.
