mines - Haiti Observer Blog

Exploratory drilling in the mountainous regions of northern Haiti, near the Dominican Republic, has been occurring the last few years. Trace deposits of gold, silver, and copper have been mined, an estimated $200 billion's worth. It sounds like a boon for Haiti's fractured economy, but sobering realities are coming into play, concerning the adverse impact of mining on the environment and people's health. Oxfam America, a development organization, has alerted the government of Haiti (GOH) dangers of mining may outweigh economic benefits derived from its practice.

The Center for Science in Public Participation (CSPP) released a report detailing Haiti's potential to authorize and monitor mining activities, as well as comprehensiveness of its best practices, regarding its laws and regulatory framework. Because mining in Haiti is in its nascence, CSPP's report is asking the GOH to create a considered mineral development plan to balance the needs of mining projects with the equally important needs of the environment. CSPP has suggested a five-step process for a strategic development plan:

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Trou-du-Nord is a cityship, capital of the Trou-du-Nord Arrondissement, and part of Nord Est Department. It lies in the northeast region of Haiti, with a population of 37,405 residents living in three sub-divisions, Garcin, Roucou and Roche-Plate.

The education system has a smattering of primary and secondary schools, whose students need sponsorships to pay tuition and school supplies. The primary organization offering sponsorships is the L'eglise Baptiste Trou-du-Nord Church, funding the education of 300 schoolchildren at its eponymous school.

The most pressing health challenge in Trou-du-Nord is the presence of malaria that is everywhere. The American Red Cross has a distribution program, whereby it hands out bed-nets to child-bearing women and young children. The program has been an enormous success, lowering the cases of the lethal illness significantly.

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There is a good chance that our beloved country of Haiti may say goodbye to it to its long history of poverty and misery.

Mining companies revealed that they have found at least 1 million ounces of gold at two sites in the region of Trou du Nord, in North of Haiti. Not only they found gold in Haiti, they also found silver and copper.

This precious metals worth potentially $20 billion.

According to the report, in April the first significant amount of silver ever reported in Haiti was found in the town of Trou du Nord located in the North region of Haiti. Mining companies estimated between 20 million and 30 million ounces of silver. Geologists suspect that more than 1 million tons of copper is waiting in the area of Trou du Nord in the area under exploration.

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