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New toxic spills confirmed in Sonora, Mexico

new-toxic-spills-confirmed-in-sonora-mexico

After a massive toxic leak from Mexico's Buenavista del Cobre mine on August 6, 2014, three new toxic spills have appeared in Sonora, northwestern Mexico on September 18, 2014.

PROFEPA, an environmental protection agency said late Sunday, September 21, that the new spills were triggered by heavy rains from Hurricane "Odile", stressing that the level of contamination was not a health hazard.

Sonora's civil protection union said it "implemented protocols to protect the surrounding Sonora River population, after confirmed reports of toxic spills from the Buenavista del Cobre mine," a subsidiary of Grupo Mexico.

Officials asked people not to use water from the Bacanuchi river.

On August 6, 2014, a leak in a container caused an environmental catastrophe that spilled 40 000 cubic meters of sulfuric acid in the Tinajas stream, located in the town of Cananea, which connects the Bacanuchi River to the Sonora River. 

The spill, considered the worst environmental disaster in recent times for the country's mining industry, contaminated water reaching seven towns, affecting a total of about 20 000 inhabitants.

The federal government has ruled out any suspension of the company's rights to use the mine.

Last Friday, the Sonora government announced a break with the company, saying mining executives have hampered investigations.

Read more: http://noticieros.televisa.com/…

Featured image credit: Noticeros Televisa (screenshot from the video)

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