PHILSAGA’s tailing pond leak caused cyanide poisoning of 2,000 kilos of fish

by Ben Serrano

August 3, 2009

PATIN-AY, Prosperidad, Agusan del Sur- Leaks from mining tailings of PHILSAGA Mining Company believed to fully loaded with chemicals in processing gold ores caused last July 24 fish kill in Katipayan Creek, Barangay Bayugan 3, Rosario , Agusan del Sur, findings of a composite team from the provincial government of Agusan del Sur showed.

“Some 2,000 kilos of fish were seen floating dead due to cyanide poisoning caused by leaks from tailings pond fully loaded with chemicals as continuing rains in the area caused it to overflow”, Assistant Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Officer Daisy Sacil told this writer in an interview at her office Monday afternoon.

Sacil said Agusan del Sur Provincial Government immediately send a composite team composed of personnel from Provincial Health Office, Bureau of Fisheries, Provincial ENRO and DENR went to the area to investigate the incident.

The team found out in their official findings that overflow of mining’s tailings pond were toxic waste are dumped caused it to leak and then went to creeks that is within 500 meters radius distance from the tailings pond.

PHILSAGA Engineer Ferdinand Cortes confirmed the fish kill and the mining company immediately purchased all the poisoned fish mostly carp species, hito from different pond owners to avoid human contamination.

According to Cortes he received the information from one of the mining company’s staff after heavy downpour of rains caused the newly upgraded chemical pond to overflow.

Cortes said he immediately ordered his men to conduct mitigating measures to avoid spread of toxic cyanide that already overflowed to creeks 500 meters away from the tailings pond to surrounding communities.

Among mitigating measures made, Cortes said, were stopped the flow of overflowing waters from the chemical pond and add double dose of hypochlorite to neutralize cyanide.

PHILSAGA Chemist Edna Valle immediately conducted laboratory test from cyanide poisoned fish and conducted water sampling test in creeks within the vicinity.

The government team headed by Provincial ENRO officer Relan Ricardo Luig also conducted separate test on fish tissues in a another laboratory.

Both laboratory test results found out high toxicity level of poisonous cyanide that posed grave danger had it not been mitigated immediately to humans, livestock and aqua marine life

Sacil told this writer that both PHILSAGA and government team agreed to conduct series of test and that daily monitoring be held to make sure such incident will not happened again.

This is not the first time that tailings pond of the mining firm had history of leaks by which some are not allegedly reported or made public although minor.

Engineer Sacil admitted no sanctions and fines were imposed by the government to PHILSAGA .