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| Environmental destruction driven by unsustainable resource exploitation. |
According to environmental experts in Iran, the extraction of gold through cyanidation has polluted the water and soil resources of the Varzeghan region in East Azerbaijan, and a water structures expert, in an interview with Anadolu, calls it a serious threat to the survival of wildlife.
Following the Chinese obstruction of Iranian workers' access to the "Mazra'e Shadi" gold mine in Varzeghan, East Azerbaijan, which has sparked widespread reactions in recent weeks, and considering the "environmental disaster" caused by the "Andarian" gold mine in this region, which was fined 4 billion rials due to cyanide leakage and eventually shut down, Anadolu has investigated the extent of environmental pollution caused by gold extraction through cyanidation in Varzeghan.
Videos showing the death of sheep near the "Mazra'e Shadi" gold mine, following a similar incident near the "Andarian" gold mine, have intensified concerns over the consequences of cyanidation and environmental pollution. Environmental activists and organizations in East Azerbaijan have written an open letter to the head of Iran's judiciary, expressing their concerns about the worsening pollution from the Andarian gold mine and the spread of this pollution in the Arasbaran region. They have stated that improper activities and the use of cyanide compounds in gold extraction are the main causes of contamination in natural resources, with cyanide compounds infiltrating the region’s surface water, groundwater, and soil. Furthermore, the residents of Sharafabad reported that sheep had died about 500 meters from the "Mazra’e Shadi" gold mine.
Residents of Andarian village also believed that cyanide was responsible for the destruction of agricultural lands, the drying up of orchards, and the contamination of agricultural and drinking water in the area. On October 24, 2024, Rahim Aftabi, the head of the legal department of the Environmental Protection Directorate in East Azerbaijan, announced that the 4 billion rial fine from the Andarian gold mine had been deposited into the government treasury. However, the local people stated that their orchards and farmlands had suffered serious damage, and environmental experts continued to express concerns about the pollution from the "Mazra’e Shadi" gold mine. This official in East Azerbaijan referred to "documentation of pollution based on test results regarding the leakage of substances used in the gold extraction process," stating that "it caused contamination and damage to the environment according to the opinion of official court experts."
In this context, Rouzbeh Eskandari, a water structures expert, in an interview with Anadolu, assessed the consequences of cyanide infiltration into water and described it as a serious threat to wildlife.
Eskandari said: "Cyanide is used in adhesives, plastics, pesticides, chemical fertilizers, and insecticides. When it enters water, it may react with the water and produce other toxic substances. If its concentration exceeds the permissible limit, it can enter groundwater or surface water through streams, rivers, or freshwater bodies, posing a threat to the survival of wildlife, whether in water, soil, or to animals that feed on these resources."
He added: "Certainly, when the amount of cyanide entering water exceeds the permissible level, and water sources such as rivers, lakes, wells, and aquifers have limited self-purification capacity and cannot break down these toxic substances, risks and problems will arise. In places like Wisconsin in the United States and several European countries, we have seen a ban on cyanidation. However, it is generally stated in the European Union that this method can be used under certain conditions."
This water structures expert emphasized: "In general, any method that decreases water quality, whether by using water for cooling or through chemical and physical changes, is not recommended."
It is worth noting that on March 30, 2020, Ahmad Alirezaeibigi, a member of the Iranian parliament, told Fars News: "Sampling of the region’s groundwater runoff shows that cyanide contamination has increased threefold compared to before the exploitation of the mine. Naturally, the effects of this level of contamination on the surrounding geography can be calculated, and it can be determined what has happened in agriculture, beekeeping, and animal husbandry in the region."
The link to the original article in Farsi on Anadolu Agency:
آلودگیهای زیستمحیطی معادن طلای ورزقان