Post date: Jan 29, 2012 9:31:13 PM
BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (JANUARY 27, 2012) (REUTERS - Argentine environmentalists protested outside the Canadian embassy on Friday (January 27) to demand that Canada's Osisko Mines cancel a gold mining project in the northern province of La Rioja (lah ree-OH-ha).
Argentines rally at Canadian embassy against Canada's Osisko Mining gold mine project in northern La Rioja province.
Holding posters that read, 'Water is worth more than gold,' the group in Buenos Aires joined thousands of protesters who have marched and rallied in the rural province against the gold project.Five years ago, Barrick Gold abandoned its controversial mines in the Famatina mountain region which residents say contaminated local water sources.
Politician Vilma Ripoll said protesters and residents are demanding the mining companies leave the area.
"[We want] the Canadian companies to leave the mine. They [the demonstrators] will be there for an undefined amount of time. And we don't think there should be a continued presence of companies that take, contaminate or kill there [La Rioja] or in Catamarca, Trelew, Bariloche, or anywhere in the mountains where they are putting mines."
Six months ago, Osisko signed a mining contract with the provincial state government, headed by a member of President Cristina Fernandez's ruling party.
La Rioja Governor Luis Beder Herrera has said his administration would go "house by house" to explain the mining contract and assure residents that neither the ground nor water supply will be contaminated.
Herrera has said that the drilling will not begin until residents are satisfied with the standards but environmentalists are pushing for the contract to be voided.