Final Exam

December 7th 2007 Francis Tremblay
Francis Bonkowski English 102b

Final writing exam
The Pascua Lama project

Chile is one of the richest country in South America. Its government, headed by Michelle Bachelet is renowned as socialist. The Canadian company, Barrick Gold that has mines all around the world plans to implant a gold mine in Chile and Argentina, in a site named Pascua Lama. The issues concerning this project are numerous. It is questionable environmentally and socially. We think this project should not go ahead in the actual context. It is, at the moment environmentally unsafe and socially unacceptable.

A major site of extraction of a metal, such as gold cannot be friendly with the environment. The toxic waste released in water is really concerning, and Barrick Gold has not planned any solution to this problem. The contamination of the water may not be significant for the population, but it is for the ecosystem. As we know, the Canadian standards about toxic waste are really severe to preserve the ecosystem. If we have these standards here, there is a reason. I think, to respect Chilean people, we should impose to ourselves the same standards to be fair. Therefore, Barrick Gold should take the responsibility to clean their toxic waste in Chile and ensure to respect the highest standards as if the mine was in Canada.

Also, studies about environmental concerns should be done by independent experts, engaged by a neutral party without any interest in the project to ensure the legitimacy of the data.

Socially, the project is unacceptable. By contaminating water and polluting, the communities will be directly touched by the project. As we know, Barrick Gold organized forums to consult the locals and have their opinion on the subject. This initiative is great, but how can these people set their opinion when the only side of the project they see, is the mining company side? So, of course they were in favor of the project.
Even though the actual socialist government approves the project, there are still some issues to clarify before step forward in the exploitation of the gold. The objectivity of this government is questionable. Even if they claim they are always there to defend the people there is clearly some work that has not been done.

The real matter is that they will have a job in a mining company for a certain amount of time, with work conditions that will probably be mediocre. They will also probably have to be in contact with toxic elements that are harmful. The reality is that Barrick Gold does not have any precision on the work conditions of the Chileans and how they are going to use them. Without clear engagement by the mining company that they will treat Chileans decently, we cannot approve this project.

The mining company Barrick Gold is blurred about their intentions in Chile. They do not state clearly enough that they will respect the environment and that they will not exploit Chileans. In this optical, we think the project should be put on hold until these issues are solved.

500 words