27/01/2011
“This tragedy hurts us,” said President Álvaro Uribe back in February 2007.
The tragedy to which he was referring was an explosion in the La Preciosa mine that left thirty-one miners dead. There would be an investigation, he assured, to make sure the company had all the right permits and licenses as far security was concerned.
That, I imagine, would’ve been carried out by Ingeominas (the Colombian geology and mining institute—attached to the Ministry of Mines and Energy).
It’s their mandate to monitor “geological hazards.”
Was there a report?
I couldn’t find it.
But even I did, I couldn’t see it being of much use. Even if they had found fault or made recommendations, nothing has been done.
Hell, I couldn’t even find the name of the mining company.
This would become a trend…
So yesterday morning, when an explosion killed at least 20 in the very same mine in Sardinata, Colombia—I wasn’t surprised I had the same problem.
I asked people I thought would know—NGOs that monitor this kind of thing, for example; they couldn’t give me an answer either.
As El Tiempo revealed, it wasn’t “BHP Billiton, Anglo American, Xstrata, Drummond, or Glencore.”
No. It was “far” away from their operations.
It was “a mine producing coal for local consumption.”
Good. I was worried.
When two other recent mining accidents occurred in Colombia last November and June, Reuters was also clear there were no multinationals involved:
AMAGA, Colombia (Reuters)
“The blast at the small underground San Fernando mine occurred far from the major operations run by companies such as Drummond and Glencore near the Caribbean coast of the world's No. 5 coal exporter, which has output of about 70 million tonnes a year and is enjoying a boom in investment.”
BOGOTA (Reuters)|
“The accidents were far from key coal operations of Drummond, Cerrejon and Glencore's Prodeco...”
I, for one, slept a lot better last night knowing there were no multinationals involved. Not our corporations, not our problem. Besides, there is absolutely nothing heartwarming about this story. It’s not Copiapó, and no rescued miners will play soccer with President Santos and his cabinet. No book deal. No movie.
Just the same explanation: methane gas—like last time, and the time before that.
So this time around, whose fault is it? Anyone’s?
As a local municipal official explained yesterday, “All their papers are in order.”
To that, William Villamizar, the Governor of the North of Santander department added: “This type of mine is subject to rigorous control and extreme supervision by Ingeominas.”
Well, Mr. Villamizar, if that’s the case—someone isn’t doing a good job. Because all they seem to be supervising are miners being blown up…
I don’t mean to make light of this. There’s absolutely nothing funny about this tragedy. And nothing short of a tragedy it is. But June, November, January—when will methane stop being an acceptable answer?
Someone should take responsibility for this.
Even if it is a small company producing for domestic use…
Personally, I’d be satisfied with a name.
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