Campoverde.
November 24
Podemos MEP Lola Sanchez along with European Commissioner for the environment, Karmenu Vella will find if somewhat difficult to persuade French mining company Penarroya, to agree to clean up the remains of the mining industry scattered across the Sierra Minera, as Penarroya is no longer trading, selling their assets, a number of years ago, to Portman Golf, for a peseta a square meter.
I very much doubt the “Bank Guarantee” will still be in existence. I recall Greenpeace taking Penarroya to the courts, decades ago, only to have their case dismissed, as it was declared Penarroya had followed the totally inadequate, as has now proved obvious, guidelines of that time.
There may be a remote possibility of holding Portman Golf responsible, as for a short time, they became a mining company, albeit for only a year after the takeover. Since then, Portman Golf’s main interest is property.
Who ever takes on the task to ‘Clean Up’ will have a sizeable problem on their hands,
The area has some 23 chimneys, 20 mineral washeries, 29 furnaces, 70 pit heads, 6 powder stores, 9 open cast mines, and over 2000 shafts, most protected by surrounding walls, to hopefully protect the hillside walker, but your scribe is aware of many shafts open to the surface, with no protection, just waiting to spoil someone’s day!
Robert W Barnes.
