Murky waters

Murky waters

Geamana, Romania
8 images
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Iridescent water, both beautiful and toxic, submerges a church in the Romanian village of Geamana.

The pool dates back to the 1970s, when State-owned miner Cupru Min poured toxic chemicals that result from copper extraction into the village. Now, the sight of the murky waters has been used by protesters to highlight fears about the potential environmental cost of setting up a gold mine nearby.

. Bucharest, Romania. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel

Canadian company Gabriel Resources has been waiting for more than 15 years for approval to use cyanide to mine gold and silver in the small town of Rosia Montana, close to Geamana.

But Romania's lower house of parliament on June 3 rejected a bill that would have allowed the company to proceed with its plans.

The bill, which was initially approved by the leftist government of Prime Minister Victor Ponta, drew thousands of anti-mine demonstrators into the streets across Romania last year, and prompted Greenpeace activists to dig into the yard of the country's Parliament in protest (pictured above).

The mine has drawn fierce opposition from civil rights and environmental groups which argue it would destroy ancient Roman mine galleries and villages, and could lead to an ecological disaster.

But the government of the poor European country has said the project is vital to reviving an ailing mining sector in a Romanian region in dire need of jobs and investment.

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Slideshow

A polluted lake, tainted with toxic chemicals, covers the village of Geamana.
. Geamana, Romania. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel

A polluted lake, tainted with toxic chemicals, covers the village of Geamana.

Different colours shine on the surface of the lake.
. Geamana, Romania. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel

Different colours shine on the surface of the lake.

The entrance to a closed goldmine gallery is seen in the side of a hill.
. Rosia Montana, Romania. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel

The entrance to a closed goldmine gallery is seen in the side of a hill.

Pollutants leave colourful trails by the water.
. Geamana, Romania. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel

Pollutants leave colourful trails by the water.

The surface of the water is stained brown and white.
. Geamana, Romania. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel

The surface of the water is stained brown and white.

Warning signs stand next to an old quarry near Rosia Montana.
. Rosia Montana, Romania. REUTERS/Bogdan Cristel

Warning signs stand next to an old quarry near Rosia Montana.

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