BUENOS AIRES, March 11 (Reuters) - Argentina's San Juan
province fined Barrick Gold Corp ABX.TO 145.7 million pesos
($9.82 million) on Friday for mining code breaches that led to a
cyanide spill at the company's Veladero mine in September, a
provincial government statement said.
The Sept. 13 leak was caused by a defective valve and
prompted a court order that forced Barrick to temporarily halt
pumping the cyanide solution used in the leaching process.
"With this fine we are protecting the development of mining
activities in the province," said Sergio Unac, the governor of
San Juan province where the Veladero mine is located.
In a statement posted on the company's website, Barrick
President Kelvin Dushnisky said: "We recognize that we have
disappointed many of our partners in San Juan province and we
deeply regret this incident."
Earlier this week, a judge in the western province accepted
charges against nine current and former Barrick employees in
connection with the spill.
State-run news agency Telam cited Unac saying that Barrick
committed mining code violations, including a failure to ensure
safety rules, comply with monitoring and contingency plans and
report the incident to the local authority.
Dushnisky said controls and safeguards at the mine had been
strengthened since the spill.
Tests by U.N. investigators in October showed that the spill
had not contaminated local water supplies.
($1 = 14.83 pesos)