Description

The Ostua River is a very important river located close to the Cerro Blanco mine. It is the primary tributary of Lake Guija, which divides El Salvador and Guatemala. Lake Guija is the primary tributary of the Lempa River, which close to 4 million Salvadorans rely on as their main source of water.

Communities are are protesting the vast amounts of chemicals, including cyanide, that will be leached into these bodies of water, and the impact that will have on the health and safety of the environment and local communities.

In addition to cyanide, the excavation process itself releases all kinds of heavy metals in to the air and water sources. The process facilitates acid mine drainage, the negative health impacts of which will persist for decades after the mine is gone.