Fed: Serbian cyanide reports "defy scientific logic": Esmeralda

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2000
Fed: Serbian cyanide reports "defy scientific logic": Esmeralda

The Australian gold miner blamed for the pollution of three major European rivers following
a cyanide leak in Romania says reports that the overflow is affecting waters in Yugoslavia
defy scientific logic.

Yugoslav authorities say polluted water originating from a Romanian tailings dam half
owned by Esmeralda Exploration Ltd have flowed into the Danube River from Hungary.

The incident has been described by Hungary as Europe's worst ecological accident since Chernobyl.

The cyanide spill has led to extensive fish kills and polluted the drinking water of
more than 2.5 million people.

Hungary and Romania have said they will seek compensation for the disaster, calls backed
by the European Union.

But a spokesman for Esmeralda says the company stands by its comments of last week
that the facts coming out of Hungary are grossly exaggerated.

AAP RTV/AFP sd/msk/as

KEYWORD: HUNGARY CYANIDE (PERTH)

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