Fears for stream after copper ore spill in Udon Thani

[webfact]

Fears for stream after copper ore spill

By Seksanti Kanlayanawisut 
The Nation

 

 

UDON THANI: -- A lorry carrying copper ore accidentally drove into a stream in Udon Thani, causing copper ore to disperse into the water and sparking concern among locals about heavy metal contamination.

The kamnan of Tambon Phasuk in Udon Thani’s Kumphawapi district, Niyom Chatukane, said the accident happened late on Saturday night. The driver fell asleep behind the wheel and drove the lorry into Huai Sampad stream, spilling 28 tonnes of copper ore into the water.

 

Niyom said took several hours to get the lorry back on dry land, and copper ore still lay on the stream bed. He said the mining company had started to retrieve copper ore from the water on Sunday and Monday, but a lot of the ore remained in the stream.

 

He said his inspectionhad shown that the water quality had changed and turbidity had increase. “The water also smells like gunpowder, so I have ordered people to avoid using the water and catching any fish from the stream until further notice,” he said.

 

“If there is water contamination, it will have large impact, as this stream is the water head of Nonghan Kumphawapi Lake and Lam Pao River, and it is also used for agriculture by farmers in two villages.”

 

Sayan Mheekaew, an environmental officer, stated that half of the ore was still underwater and posed the risk of heavy metal contamination, because the ore normally contained traces of heavy metal such as lead and arsenic. 

 

Sayan said teams of officers from the regional environmental agency and Provincial Industry Office had already collected the samples from the stream for inspection.

 

Pol Lt-Colonel Thanadul Seethet, Kumphawapi Police investigation officer, said the lorry driver Sayan Samlee, 45, confessed that he was transporting copper ore from Laos to Map Taphut Industrial Park in Rayong, and that he had fallen asleep while driving.

 

Sayan was fined Bt500 for reckless driving. There is an ongoing investigation as he failed to show a permit to transport copper ore.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30323126

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-08

[NCC1701A]

what? no Army there within hours with everything needed to dredge out the stream?

 

 

[Dave67]

500bt fine

 

Environmental Effects

The way in which copper has been traditionally mined has resulted in the production of toxic waste products and negative changes to the immediate mine environment. The environmental consequences of the mining process are substantial and have both acute and chronic effects on the geography, water, vegetation and biological life in the surrounding areas. Environmental issues have been caused by mining in both ancient and modern times. Acid mine drainage (AMD, Figure 2, Ref’s 7,8) is caused when metal sulfides in the underground ore are exposed to the natural elements. The sulfides are oxidized and the products released are sulfuric acid and free heavy metals which contaminate the surrounding areas. AMD has had a huge negative impact on the environment, often resulting in the inability to sustain life in badly affected areas. The levels of copper and other heavy metals present in the ground and water around mines are significantly higher compared to similar geographical regions where mining has not occurred (7,8).

 

http://faculty.virginia.edu/metals/cases/dudgeon3.html

[seajae]

company should have been forced to clear the water way immediately but once again we see that no one really cares what happens, the extra costs involved are simply not acceptable to the company and the people health and welfare are not important enough to trump profits. This is where huge fines need to be issued to the company as well as all costs related to the clean up and loss of any activities by the locals effected.

[starky]

12 minutes ago, seajae said:

company should have been forced to clear the water way immediately but once again we see that no one really cares what happens, the extra costs involved are simply not acceptable to the company and the people health and welfare are not important enough to trump profits. This is where huge fines need to be issued to the company as well as all costs related to the clean up and loss of any activities by the locals effected.

Yeah just like chevron, woodside, BP, shell et al are always held fully accountable for their actions globally.

[British Bulldog]

Was this Copper from Laos (Phu Bia Mining maybe ) ? ... I haven't heard of copper mines around the Udon area ?

Quote

 

 

[Classic Ray]

Why no tachometers or driver's hours records here? And what deterrent is a 500 baht fine? We will never hear about any punishment or compensation from the company, that will all be handled by payments behind closed doors. Where are the Health and Safety and Environmental Protection agencies doing the cleanup and investigations/prosecutions? Always a third world approach to a first world problem.

[Boss]

Sayan was fined Bt500 for reckless driving. Rediculous !!!!

[eliotness]

Copper is very toxic to many plants.  A level greater than 200ppm in the soil will have a significant effect on any plants grown.  Just lucky that it's the wet season and the water in the stream isn't needed for irrigation.  As for fish ! - don't eat any  caught nearby for at least a month.

Edited August 8, 2017 by eliotness
typo

[Moti24]

"There is an ongoing investigation as he failed to show a permit to transport copper ore."

 

I don't remember seeing an lgv with any ADR plates in Thailand, apart from the petrol and gas tankers.  They probably think a kemler code is a vision of a winning lottery number.

Edited August 8, 2017 by Moti24

[aussie11950]

couldn't they lay some of those large 2 foot plastic drain pipes at the ore site and dump soil upstream behind the top and bottom end of the pipe so water goes through the pipe and bypasses the dumped ore

[rickudon]

It really depends on what is in the 'ore'. If just broken rocks not to dangerous as metals etc, would seep out very slowly. I suspect it has been crushed and concentrated, maybe other chemicals used in that process are also somewhat toxic. Acid Mine waste is rather worse as it leaches out of rocks slowly but for a VERY long time -but this isn't a mine.

 

As for copper toxicity, I ton of copper would make 1 million cubic metres of water unfit for aquatic life. But it will take a long time for all that copper to leach out. But  water probably soon safe-ish for drinking water (copper is sometimes used to kill algal blooms in supply reservoirs).