Search

The cultural landscape is a result of the continuous human actions of satisfying the communities' various needs and the response of the natural system, in its attempt to balance its components in relation to the modelling factor - the human society. Thus, the cultural landscape displays the imprint of the infinite possibilities of the human and natural joint manifestation, sometimes hazards bringing their own contribution to the shaping of the cultural landscape. Hazards, whether natural or anthropogenic, are unforeseen phenomena in terms of space or time of their manifestation, and most often have considerable negative consequences. In particular, anthropogenic hazards, which are directly or indirectly related to human activities, appear mainly as a manifestation of the resilience of natural elements in the cultural landscape, as a complex system. Thus, major interventions, such as mining in Rosia Montana area (an activity that had been lasting for over 2000 years) in relation to the unpredictable evolution of the social, economic, technological and political context (on local, national and global level) have favoured the manifestation of some unforeseen events with a negative connotation such as: complex pollution, depreciation of the living standards (in Rosia Montana area mostly due to the cessation of mining activities), demographic aging, etc. The complex analysis of these implications in the above mentioned area allows us to outline an eloquent assessment of the present state of the local cultural landscape and to identify the opportunities of systemic resilience. These include: the awareness of the planning, protection and conservation of the local historical cultural landscape as a primary need, restoration of the cultural landscape (through the aesthetic rehabilitation of degraded cultural elements), the implementation of projects that target the sustainable development of Rosia Montana, as a source of identity and sustainable development, the tourism conversion of activities, etc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a critical discussion of the population displacement processes involved in the Ro?ia Montan? gold-mining project within the theoretical framework of development-induced displacement (DID). We begin with an overview of the geographical context of the rural community, focusing on the social and economic structure of Ro?ia Montan?. After assessing the relocation and resettlement processes, we examine several problems related to the compensation mechanism set up by the mining company. The aim of the research is to highlight the complexity of the consequences of development-induced displacement and the limits of the policies of relocation and resettlement in the area.

Worldwide, concerns about heavy metal contamination from manmade and natural sources have increased in recent decades. Metals released into the environment threaten human health, mostly due to their integration into the food chain and persistence. Nature offers a large range of materials with different functionalities, providing also a source of inspiration for scientists working in the field of material synthesis. In the current study, a new type of copolymer is introduced, which was synthesized for the first time by combining chitosan and poly(benzofurane-co-arylacetic acid), for use in the adsorption of toxic heavy metals. Such naturally derived materials can be easily and inexpensively synthesized and separated by simple filtration, thus becoming an attractive alternative solution for wastewater treatment. The new copolymer was investigated by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photon electron microscopy. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was utilized to measure heavy metal concentrations in the investigated samples. Equilibrium isotherms, kinetic 3D models, and artificial neural networks were applied to the experimental data to characterize the adsorption process. Additional adsorption experiments were performed using metal-contaminated water samples collected in two seasons (summer and winter) from two former mining areas in Romania (Roșia Montană and Novăț-Borșa). The results demonstrated high (51–97%) adsorption efficiency for Pb and excellent (95–100%) for Cd, after testing on stock solutions and contaminated water samples. The recyclability study of the copolymer indicated that the removal efficiency decreased to 89% for Pb and 58% for Cd after seven adsorption–desorption cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plans to open a globally significant gold mine at Roşia Montană, in the Transylvanian region of Romania, have led to decades of controversy and struggle. This paper explores different understandings of extraction amongst advocates for and opponents of the mine over the last two decades. We discuss the shifting roles of capital, the state, civil society organizations, and the local community over time, arguing for the need to distinguish between their different positions on mining. In particular, we contend that the understanding of extraction promoted by the owners of the mine, and by the local community, is fundamentally different in terms of cultural, social, and economic priorities. The local community argue for a traditional type of mining, embedded in local ownership and established labor identities, whereas the neoliberal vision of capital for the Roşia Montană site is that of a globally competitive, technologically advanced form of extraction. In uncovering and developing these hermeneutic differences, the paper reveals that pro-traditional development attitudes among economically marginalized groups are not necessarily attuned to the material global interconnections shaping neoliberal capitalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide, concerns about heavy metal contamination from manmade and natural sources have increased in recent decades. Metals released into the environment threaten human health, mostly due to their integration into the food chain and persistence. Nature offers a large range of materials with different functionalities, providing also a source of inspiration for scientists working in the field of material synthesis. In the current study, a new type of copolymer is introduced, which was synthesized for the first time by combining chitosan and poly(benzofurane-co-arylacetic acid), for use in the adsorption of toxic heavy metals. Such naturally derived materials can be easily and inexpensively synthesized and separated by simple filtration, thus becoming an attractive alternative solution for wastewater treatment. The new copolymer was investigated by solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance, thermogravimetric analysis, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray photon electron microscopy. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was utilized to measure heavy metal concentrations in the investigated samples. Equilibrium isotherms, kinetic 3D models, and artificial neural networks were applied to the experimental data to characterize the adsorption process. Additional adsorption experiments were performed using metal-contaminated water samples collected in two seasons (summer and winter) from two former mining areas in Romania (Roșia Montană and Novăț-Borșa). The results demonstrated high (51–97%) adsorption efficiency for Pb and excellent (95–100%) for Cd, after testing on stock solutions and contaminated water samples. The recyclability study of the copolymer indicated that the removal efficiency decreased to 89% for Pb and 58% for Cd after seven adsorption–desorption cycles.

A country’s cultural heritage is the burden of that country, namely of the legal representation of it, the state. Outstanding cultural heritage, relevant for the entire humanity, should be enlisted under UNESCO heritage. To have a cultural value enlisted by UNESCO is an opportunity, even economical one, whose valuation lies on the state where such cultural value is placed. Without coherent management plans and active valuation actions for the benefit of communities, culture itself becomes a reason for public refusal. Roșia Montana is a good case study on the conflict between cultural and economic value of cultural heritage.

We analyse Roșia Montană environmental activism as a critical case that brings together an unusual combination of high levels of transactional activism and high levels of mass protests. We build on the assumptions of civil society in post-communist Europe and the literature on environmental mobilization to investigate the ways in which environmental-based activism developed before and after Romania's accession to the European Union (EU). Starting from the consensual interpretation of the indirect contribution the EU had in reinforcing the space of manoeuvring and the legitimacy of the pre-2007 Roșia Montană activism, we show that the post-accession period corresponds to an ongoing civil society empowerment despite the state actors' strong resistance to open policy processes. Roșia Montană activism proves that, under certain conditions, the political actors can lose the total exclusivity in the policy-making in favour of more or less organized actors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Co-herencia is the property of Universidad EAFIT and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We evaluated the significance of the iron and manganese content in sphalerite as a tool for distinguishing between low-sulfidation and intermediate-sulfidation epithermal deposits on the basis of new and previously published electron probe microanalyses data on the Roșia Montană epithermal ore deposit and available microchemical data from the Neogene epithermal ore deposits located in the Apuseni Mountains and Baia Mare region, Romania. Two compositional trends of the Fe vs. Mn content in sphalerite were delineated, a Fe-dominant and a Mn-dominant, which are poor in Mn and Fe, respectively. The overlapping compositional range of Fe and Mn in sphalerite in low-sulfidation and intermediate-sulfidation ores suggests that these microchemical parameters are not a reliable tool for distinguishing these epithermal mineralization styles.

Roșia Montană is currently a village (former town) in Transylvania, with a declining population of about 4,000. But it is at the same time one of the most famous villages in Romania, due to the controversy surrounding it, which led to major public manifestations and protests in the autumn of 2013. In a way, the project of Gabriel Resources, which sought to obliterate the historical site and replace it with an open pit gold mine and a cyanide lake was so outrageous that it actually helped popularize the vast heritage of the village and offered an incentive to promote it on the UNESCO World Heritage List, thus protecting it from further such claims. The Faculty of Architecture in Cluj found this a great opportunity for an international workshop with our French colleagues in ENSA Clermont Ferrand, who were glad to travel to Cluj and exchange ideas and even a small project for a few days. During their stay, we visited the site and chose one of the most interesting but sadly deteriorated buildings as grounds for a restoration project – the Reformed Parsonage. Our workshop focused also on a documentary assignment that bid our students to search out for similar cases to Roșia Montană in Europe and the whole world, so as to draw some conclusions about what is specific and what is similar in this particular context. This paper gives a glimpse into the research we undertook with our students and our findings. One such similar case we found with our students would be Kremnica in Slovakia, also sitting on a sizeable gold deposit coveted by a Canadian mining company that promoted open pit cyanide mining there. There are open pit mining sites that threaten to engulf entire towns like Cerro de Pasco (Peru), but also sites that have been put to better use like in Curitiba (Brazil) and Falun (Sweden) and have been converted in cultural venues. Overall, the goal of the effort was to use the entire collective to determine similar cases around the world, resulting in contextual and viable architectural projects, particularly adapted to the special situation in Roşia Montană, some of which will be presented in short as results of this research.

“Archaeology for Whom?” A situation where this question gains particular importance is the case of rescue archaeology projects, especially those facing big economic projects. It is the purpose of this article to propose a reflective attitude towards our practice. Thus, I will focus on the case of the site of Roșia Montană (Romania). Here, the contentious topic of a proposed cyanide gold mining exploitation brought forward a series of relevant questions: what is heritage, for whom it is meaningful (and in what way), and what is the relationship between heritage and sustainable development of a contemporary community.

The article wants to present exclusively the historical importance of the Alburnus Maior/Rosia Montana site, marking the main discoveries made during the entire history. The political debate over the contemporary mining project of RMGC will be presented soon in another work, much extensive (a book) because of the complex legally, economic, strategic and patrimonial importance of the site of Alburnus Maior-Rosia Montana, for Romania and for the mankind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyses the Environmental, Economic, and Social impact (EES triangle) of the mining project proposed by Roşia Montană Gold Corporation (RMGC). The results show that this project is not truly favourable for Romania, taking into account that the environment would be strongly affected if technological errors occurred, and if cyanide were used to separate the gold from ore. At the same time, the number of places of work created would be for a determined period of 25 years, and the profit obtained by Romania is minimum, compared to the profit of the company. In this context, the mining project would also bring prejudices to the local archaeological site, by removing elements which could elucidate certain historical aspects from the past. Therefore, is this mining project according to the concept of sustainable development? [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges of modern terrain modelling methods is to incorporate non-existing, planned features in the output. Remote sensing based solutions can only detect structures and shapes that are already present in the environment. In order to assess the impacts of a planned development on the surrounding landscape properly it is inevitable to solve this issue. In addition to the environmental, social and economic consequences, mining activities, especially open cast mining will also leave significant scars on the landscape. These can not only have a visual effect but also impact local weather conditions by changing winds, precipitation patterns. The current paper demonstrates a collection of methods and techniques able to cope with the various challenges that arise when modelling the landscape impacts of such developments. The experiments were performed in the area of Roşia Montană, where a Canadian company plans to create the largest open cast gold mine in Europe. The results of the terrain modelling process allow for the quantification of the estimated impacts on the terrain and the land cover of the area caused by the mining project. The presented methodology and visualisation tools can also facilitate the decision support mechanisms making the communication ‘more understandable’ amongst stakeholders; information meetings and public hearings involving organizing groups at any level. Obtaining the results required the development of several unconventional techniques especially in terrain modelling and visual landscape simulation, involving the combination of sometimes very different base methods.

The article applies a recently developed framework for the reconstruction and evaluation of arguments based on practical reasoning (Fairclough and Fairclough 2012) to the analysis of a public consultation session organised by the Romanian Ministry of Environment and Forests in 2011, which made partial use of digital media. The session is concerned with the Environmental Impact Assessment report in a case of public notoriety in post-communist Romania: the goldmining project at Roșia Montană. The findings indicate that the critical questioning by the public is aimed at rebutting the corporation’s main claim and proposed course of action, but its final outcome is conditioned by the institutional context and the steps that follow the consultation session.

The region named Roşia Montană became famous due to its rich mineral resources. The most precious treasure which has been found is the gold. A state-run gold mine functioned for many years and the continuous pollution due to the gold extraction became very dangerous. All these cyanide-containing waste are hazardous to wildlife, natural resources and human health if not properly managed. The consequences of cyanide hazards may be devastating, sometimes killing everything for several miles downstream. It has not yet been found a way of both taking advantages of the economic benefits of gold and maintaining a liveable habitat.

This paper tries to see how art and community structures could be connected. The general considerations in this respect are made through a case study: Roşia Montană, Romania. Here, a Canadian-based company, RMGC, tried to open a gold mine and to use large quantities of sodium cyanide in the industrial process, destroying also very precious roman archaeological remains and a unique landscape. The opposition against this project, which formed the largest civic movement in Romania after the fall of communism, used art and culture in the battle. We try to analyze, from an anthropological point of view, the uses of different arts, either by opponents or by supporters of the RMGC project, and try to argue that art is a tool for building or rebuilding communities and for the creation of an active, dynamic civic conscience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1996, a Canadian company started geological explorations in the Rosia Montana area in the Romanian Carpathians. Two years later it formed a joint-venture with a Romanian state company to exploit what is believed to be Europe´s largest gold reserves. However, as of June 2011 extraction has not started yet and it may never start due to the opposition of numerous NGO´s that have pointed out the environmental, social and economic unsustainability of this mining project. This situation is highly unusual for a country that is hungry for foreign investment especially since up until very recently the state had supported any project promising to revitalize its mining sector. This paper will investigate the changes in the discourses surrounding this mining project taking into consideration the effects of globalization and the effects of Romania´s EU membership after 2007.

This article is aimed at describing the influence that foreign direct investments have on a recipient economy, as this study focuses on the changes that foreign direct investments imposed on Romanian economy. In principle, foreign direct investment should enhance one economys results as they pump capital, the vital fluid of any successful enterprise, completing or replacing own capital, as the economy becomes interesting because of its raw material resources, financial facilities or human resource. Anyway, there are some instances that need turning own capital to profit, as, this would benefit more than permission for foreign capital to be turned into advantage. The actual study looks on investments that are to be conducted by Gabriel Resources in Rosia Montana area and tries to evaluate if the business site acts on long term in favor of our national economy.

Roşia Montană is the greatest gold ore in Romania and one of the greatest in Europe, and its exploitation has been carried out since Antiquity up to nowadays. If the traditional extraction and processing technologies had a minimal impact upon environment, the ones adopted in modern times have affected all the components of the natural environment. In the perspective of capitalizing the gold ore through the programme elaborated by the Canadian company, Gold Corporation, the zonal geographical space will be degraded up to the level of industrial dessert over an area of 100 km2 and in case of damage, the affected area can extend enormously. The environmental problems are related both to the specific nature of such an industrial activity and, especially, to the use of enormous quantities of sodium cyanide directly on the preparation flux from the industrial plant. Few such cases are known worldwide, in several economically less developed countries. Usually, cyanides are used for treating the gold concentrations, operation done in conditions of maximum security, in closed spaces, situated in isolated zones and the neutralization (detoxification) of cyanides is done in situ. The treatment of cyanides in open spaces has always generated environmental problems. Moreover, none of the cyanide treatment technologies eliminates entirely their toxic effect (less toxic chemical products are obtained). In order to avoid the production of an environmental disaster and to preserve the local patrimony values (in this place there lies the richest mining archeological site in Europe), we elaborated several recommendations we consider feasible as they allow both the capitalization of ore, which is a socio-economic necessity of the area, and the ecological reconstruction of the affected geographical space.

Romania, the place where protests never take place, has been facing significant civil disobedience and street demonstrations in the last years. Of them, environmental protests present several particularities and do not convey social problems. The cyanide exploitation in Roşia Montană in Romania has been debated lately due to the fact that the place is part of the Romanian historical heritage and due to the negative environment impact. The project has been delayed several times being subject to political and public environment policies. Moreover, the cyanide exploitation generated protests and street demonstrations against the project. The present study reveals the media coverage of the protest and analyses the way Romanian media referred to the environmental protest related to Roşia Montană through messages. We investigate the media message and implicitly the representation comprised in it. Our analysis includes several predetermined indicators in order to evaluate the media impact regarding the case: environment, economics, and legislative framework, presence of protests, involvement of non-governmental organizations, civil society/community and politicians.

The first aim of this article is to present a comprehensive analysis of industrial heritage ' in situ', highlighting the cultural and technological importance of the Roşia Montană archaeological site. This is an ancient gold-mining area, exploited since the Iron Age, and the site is one of the most representative of Romania in terms of cultural patrimony, with elements of mining heritage, vernacular architecture, archaeological remains from Roman period. The documentation has been drafted for the inclusion of the Roşia Montană archaeological mining site on the UNESCO World Heritage monuments tentative list; this is currently being assessed by the Romanian Ministry of Culture. The second aim of the article is to anticipate the impact of the resumption of extractive activity by a Canadian company. This situation is one of the most controversial topics in Romanian society, as a result of the response to the negative impact of mining, including the pollution of surface waters with cyanide and the flooding of an entire village, along with its valuable cultural heritage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The right of petition represents at the same time a fundamental right provided by the Romanian Constitution (article 51) and a consecrated right in the European Union, provided by the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union (article 44). Rosia Montana became a well known subject when the project regarding the mining of this area was promoted. After several contradictory discussions along the citizens and after realizing the tremendous impact that such a project could have on the environment, a petition was drafted and sent to the Committee on Petitions of the European Parliament. This way, the matter was referred to the Committee, providing to it information about the fact that the mining project from Rosia Montana is incompatible with the principle of sustainable development promoted by the European Union. The main question that this article is trying to respond to is reduced to "is the right for petition fully respected?". The purpose of the essay is to emphasize and demonstrate the whole process of analyzing and resolving this petition. Furthermore, the final objective is to submit a legal and fairly moral solution, keeping in mind the better practices within the domain of the right of petition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mineralogical and chemical variations of ochreous precipitates forming from acid sulphate waters discharged from the lowest mine adit ('Sf. Cruci din Orlea') of the Roşia Montană Gold Mine (Romania) were investigated by a multianalytical approach (XRPD, IR, TEM, ICP) applied to surface precipitates and associated waters. The mineralogy of the precipitates changed significantly as a consequence of the variations in the chemical parameters of the circulating solutions (mainly pH, Eh, and sulphate concentrations) which were mainly controlled by mixing with unpolluted waters of Roşia River. Ochreous precipitates are characterized by high concentrations of potentially toxic elements (PTEs; in particular Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Cd, and Pb) and consist of a mixture, in variable proportion, of jarosite and schwertmannite, which represent the stable secondary minerals along the investigated transect of Roşia River. Particular regard is given to the ability of authigenic phases to selectively scavenge selected PTEs from contaminated solutions during their genesis and minerogenetic evolution. Furthermore, laboratory kinetic batch experiments on natural heterogeneous samples of ochreous precipitates were carried out to investigate the release processes involving PTEs and to verify the type and the amount of elements that can be temporarily/permanently trapped by the solid phase from the contaminated solutions. The comparative analysis of the precipitates and waters of the Roşia Montană mining area indicated that the role of secondary minerals as 'mitigating agents' can be limited because even minor pH-Eh oscillations would cause mineralogical transformations that could lead to trace elements mobilization in the environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exploitation at Roşia Montană (Romania) is a very important issue, not only from the economic point of view but also socially, historical and not the least, political. This project is widely publicized and its impact goes beyond the borders of Romania. This study aims to realize an analysis of the issue of starting the exploitation of Roşia Montană in relation to international case law based especially on the respect of human rights standards imposed by the European Convention of Human Rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roşia Montana has already become famous after the conflict produced among the opponents of Roşia Montana Project, initiators of the mining project, and the ones supporting the project. After the appearance of this project, several NGOs and foundations started to promote the tourist image of Roşia Montana, emphasizing the beauty of the area, also offering alternatives for tourist development in the community. The impact of Roşia Montana over the entire region and also over the whole country is related to the mining project proposed by Roşia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC), which intends to realise the surface exploitation of several mountains. Though there are many tourist objectives in the area, historic monuments, the authorities support the activities of RMGC project, neglecting the environmental protection and tourist development of the region. In this article we will present the implications that this project has for tourist development in the community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From an anonymous village in the Apuseni Mountains, Roşia Montană has managed to capture national and international attention not because of its gold, beauty, history and cultural value - there are many places that are better in these departments, but because it awakened an entire nation to reconsider its priorities. This conflict has brought on the biggest manifestations since the revolution and thus cannot be ignored. The situation has been approached in many ways by both parties through essays, research, and studies. Presentations have been made, books have been written, and movies have been shot; always, however, with an ulterior motive and never from a neutral perspective. The moment has come to put aside the drama and pursue an objective angle. This study takes a tour through all the major conflict analysis tools, which are combined with field research in order to bring light and clarity to the dispute. Much like a mediator, the paper intends to guide the parties on a resolution path by giving them insight about each other. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alburnite, ideally Ag8GeTe2S4, was discovered in the Cârnicel vein from the Roşia Montana epithermal Au-Ag ore deposit, Apuseni Mountains, Romania. The new mineral is associated with tetrahedrite, galena, pyrite, sphalerite, chalcopyrite, and tellurides (hessite, altaite, and sylvanite). Associated gangue minerals are rhodochrosite, quartz, calcite, and rhodonite. Alburnite was observed only at the microscopic scale as rounded to sub-rounded grains, veinlets or irregular inclusions hosted mainly by tetrahedrite, hessite, and rhodochrosite. Due to the small size of alburnite grains observed so far it was not possible to determine some macroscopic properties; reported properties are based on microscopic observations. The mineral has a metallic luster and is opaque. It is non-fluorescent and has an estimated Mohs hardness of 4. The mineral shows no cleavage. Density could not be measured because of the small grain size, but calculated density based on the empirical formula is 7.828 g/cm³. In plane-polarized light in air, alburnite is gray-blue with a bluish tint. It shows no pleochroism or bireflectance in air. Between crossed polars alburnite is isotropic and internal reflections have not been observed in air. The mineral decomposes in intense light. Reflectance minimum values in air (in percents) are: 470 nm 29.70; 546 nm 28.00; 589 nm 27.35; 650 nm 26.95. The average chemical composition based on 18 electron microprobe analyses from 9 different grains in one polished section is (in wt%): Ag 65.49, Ge 4.82, Te 20.16, S 9.66, total 100.13. The ideal formula of alburnite, Ag8GeTe2S4, based on 15 apfu requires Ag 65.43, Ge 5.50, Te 19.35, S 9.72, total 100.00 wt%. Features of the crystal structure of alburnite were determined based on electron backscattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. Alburnite is cubic, space group F43m, with unit-cell parameters a = 10.4(1) Å, V = 1125(30) ų, Z = 4. The strongest eight calculated XRD lines [d in Å(I)(hkl)] are: 6.004(67)(111), 3.136(48)(113), 3.002(100)(222), 2.600(26)(004), 2.123(33)(224), 2.002(61)(115), 1.838(76)(044), and 1.644(12)(026). The name of the new mineral alburnite is derived from the Latin name of the locality. Roşia Montana Au-Ag deposit was known during the Roman period as Alburnus Maior. The mineral and the mineral name have been approved by the Commission on New Minerals, Nomenclature and Classification, IMA 2012-073. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a critical discussion of a recent gold-mining project at Roşia Montană, Romania and of the alternative development solutions for the area. The aim of the research is to examine the socio-economic consequences of the mining project proposed by the multinational company Roşia Montană Gold Corporation and the struggle of the resistance movement to the mining project for an alternative development, in order to understand the complexity of development processes in rural communities in post-communist Romania. In analysing the socio-economic risks involved in conventional development, we focus especially on revealing the intrinsic limits of mono-industrialism and on the issue of population displacement by development. In the second part of the paper we discuss the feasibility of alternative development solutions for the area. The paper relies on a theoretical framework that combines the critical literature on conventional development and the recent debates on grassroots development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the issue of environmental risk involved in a proposed gold-mining project at Roşia Montană, Romania, as it was articulated in the discourses and strategies of the environmentalists protesting against it. We base our paper on the idea that environmental risk has a socially constructed horizon and that counter-discourses on risk represent a fundamental contribution of the environmental protesters to the anti-mining movement. This opposition can be integrated in a broader debate regarding the social and environmental costs of industrial development. The alternative conceptualisation of risk goes beyond narrowly defined ecological issues and applies to the more encompassing perspective of 'communities at risk'. The anti-mining movement's complex repertoire of contention and especially its challenging discourses on risk make it a unique development in post-socialist environmentalism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes the coverage of the 2013 September-October Roșia Montană protests provided by four local newspapers in Cluj-Napoca with regard to the type and intensity of the coverage, potential shifts in tunes, bias, and relevance of the content. The methodological design consists in media analysis of more than 493 articles identified, among which 84 were directly related to the protests in Cluj. To have a more in-depth perspective of the protesters claims, we have drawn a semiotic analysis of the protesters' slogans. The study found that local coverage of protests is limited. Most of the articles related to anti-Roșia Montană protests are short, informative, objective articles, with live-updates, photographs, but very few offering protesters' view through comments or opinions. The slogan analysis shows that contrary to the initial premises, anti-government slogans prevail over the eco-friendly ones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The environmental impact assessment of mining sites represents nowadays a large interest topic in Romania. Historical pollution in the Rosia Montana mining area of Romania caused extensive damage to environmental media. This paper has two goals: to investigate the environmental pollution induced by mining activities in the Rosia Montana area and to quantify the environmental impacts and associated risks by means of an integrated approach. Thus, a new method was developed and applied for quantifying the impact of mining activities, taking account of the quality of environmental media in the mining area, and used as case study in the present paper. The associated risks are a function of the environmental impacts and the probability of their occurrence. The results show that the environmental impacts and quantified risks, based on quality indicators to characterize the environmental quality, are of a higher order, and thus measures for pollution remediation and control need to be considered in the investigated area. The conclusion drawn is that an integrated approach for the assessment of environmental impact and associated risks is a valuable and more objective method, and is an important tool that can be applied in the decision-making process for national authorities in the prioritization of emergency action. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roşia Montană, the largest European gold mine, could be re-opened. Environmental problems led to severe pollution of the Roşia and Abrud Rivers. The two main potentially toxic element (PTE) sources in mine sites are, in general, the abandoned underground workings and the piles of waste rock. Since the composition of waste rocks is often heterogeneous, this study faces the problem of estimating their mineralogical and chemical features starting from a set of sampling point. Twenty-five samples were collected on the main waste dump of the Roşia Montană mine following a virtual squared grid (knots distance about 25 m). Grain size, color, bulk chemistry, mineralogy, acid mine drainage potential and a set of selected PTE (Ag, As, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn) concentrations were determined on each sample. In a first approximation two main waste rock groups were identified: WR1 bulk composition is dacite-dominated, while WR2 is andesite-dominated. In both of them the concentrations of PTEs are below the regulatory limits for soils, with the exception of As. In terms of acid mine drainage, WR1 has a net acid-producing potential, while WR2 has a net neutralizing potential. The anisotropy of WR properties were analysed by means of semi-variograms and displayed with contour maps. Application of positive matrix factorization for the analysis of all the data relative to waste rocks allowed defining, in a semi-quantitative way, the factors controlling pollution and their spatial distribution. The processing of score matrix G factor associated with the geostatistical elaboration promises to be a powerful tool to discern the composition of mine dumps and support the exploitation and remediation phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From an economic point of view, as a result of the restrictive climate and relief conditions but also due to the political conditions, Moţilor Land has never been a well developed region. Added to this, the restructuring of the mining sector after 1990 and subsequently the closing of the mine at Roşia Montană in 2006 have aggravated the economic problems that this region has been facing. The degree in which the local communities and the authorities are able to access various financing sources from the county level to the international one, has become essential to the survival of the localities in the region, many of which are facing depletion due to aging, feminisation and migration of the population. The present article aims at analysing the degree in which these financing programmes are accessed at the regional but also at the local level, in order to determine which are the more active communities and to establish if there is a certain trend present and to establish its causes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a critical discussion of the population displacement processes involved in the Roşia Montană gold-mining project within the theoretical framework of development-induced displacement (DID). We begin with an overview of the geographical context of the rural community, focusing on the social and economic structure of Roşia Montană. After assessing the relocation and resettlement processes, we examine several problems related to the compensation mechanism set up by the mining company. The aim of the research is to highlight the complexity of the consequences of development-induced displacement and the limits of the policies of relocation and resettlement in the area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The general trends of the spontaneous vegetation development on the mining waste dumps from Rosia Montana were investigated and the relationships between the vegetation cover, waste dump age and some of its geomorphological characteristics were studied. The analysis conducted on the 60 years old waste dump identified 53 mining spoils patches that are not covered yet with spontaneous vegetation. In addition to the mining spoil patches, three vegetation patch types were distinguished within the study area: grasslands, heathlands and woodlands. At the landscape level, in all patch types we identified 267 plant species but on the oldest mining spoils patches we only find 61 species represented by 1-10 individuals. Regarding the geomorphological characteristics of the oldest dump, we find that shadier slopes have a higher vegetation cover than sunny slopes. Also the vegetation cover of exposed spoils decreases with increasing distance to semi-natural grassland patches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The bulk of the latest debates regarding the opportunity of gold mining investment in Rosia Montana considered the economic and ecologic aspects. Our paper attempt a different perspective in order to highlight the possibilities of development in the absence of modern gold mining that uses cyanides. This possible picture is built using data on population and main economic activities and comparing them with national milestones. It results that Rosia Montana has a similar economic potential with other rural settlements, although most of the limitations are also present. This is interpreted as a weak support for the development of a high risk mining project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Late modernity has spawned various risks at personal, social, national and international level. Among them, the ones that have been gaining increased public attention are ecological risks since, should such risks materialize into disasters, their impact would go far beyond local areas to alter the life of humans and non-humans on a broad regional or global scale. My article aims to investigate the discursive frames and discursive actions through which various publics, a mining company and Romanian politicians have been constructing arguments to legitimize and to oppose, respectively, a major transnational development project. This project, funded by the Canadian-based Gabriel Resources company, aims to mine gold and silver using cyanide in the Apuseni Mountains in central Transylvania, Romania. The campaign to save Roşa Montană, a millennia-old settlement that could disappear should the mining operations begin, grew from an almost hopeless local initiative into a civic and environmental action on a global scale, whose scope and success have turned the scales against the Canadian corporation. In the context of the economic crisis, the mining project has been gaining momentum and visibility in the media and it has led to divergent political statements. I argue that the parallel processes of harnessing support for the project and building opposition against the project has been an exercise in the development of the company's Corporate Social Responsibility messages and governance mechanisms, as well as an exercise in participatory democracy at community level and in online communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 1996, a Canadian company started geological explorations in the Rosia Montana area in the Romanian Carpathians. Two years later it formed a joint-venture with a Romanian state company to exploit what is believed to be Europe's largest gold reserves. However, as of June 2011 extraction has not started yet and it may never start due to the opposition of numerous NGO's that have pointed out the environmental, social and economic unsustainability of this mining project. This situation is highly unusual for a country that is hungry for foreign investment especially since up until very recently the state had supported any project promising to revitalize its mining sector. This paper will investigate the changes in the discourses surrounding this mining project taking into consideration the effects of globalization and the effects of Romania's EU membership after 2007. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The Roşia Montană ore deposit (Apuseni Mountains, Romania) is Europe’s largest Au–Ag deposit. It also corresponds to the Roman Alburnus Maior mining site, known by historians and archaeologists due to the discovery of dozens of Roman wooden wax tablets during the underground works carried out during the 18th and 19th centuries. The present geochemical research is based on a detailed archaeological and geological study of the Roman mines at Roşia Montană, making use of archaeologically and geologically documented ore samples. The geochemical analyses allowed us to establish an accurate database for the ores exploited during Roman times at Roşia Montană (and probably before). This approach represents a contribution towards improving the accuracy of metal provenance studies of gold–silver ores during antiquity in Romania, and also at an European level, because the studied ore samples represent remnants of the original ores used by the Romans for the production of precious metals. Twenty-nine ore samples and one litharge roll have been selected, prepared and analysed by MC-ICP-MS (high-resolution measurements). A specific Roşia Montană Pb isotope signature of gold–silver ores extracted by the Roman miners was obtained. This signature is distinct when compared with other ore deposits from the Apuseni Mountains, as well as within a broader region (Maramureş ore district). A litharge roll discovered in a Roman inclined adit situated close to the surface, which attests the presence of metallurgical workshops, has also been analysed. The different lead isotope values of the litharge roll and the Roşia Montană gold–silver ores suggest that other ore sources from the South Apuseni Mountains or from elsewhere were also employed by the gold metallurgy developed at Roşia Montană during Roman times. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Sustainable Development is, at this point, one of the most often used expression in everything regarding the environmental protection and the development of the human society. The Environmental European legislation and the legislations of the member countries consider it as the only solution for satisfying the economical development and the needs of the human society, but containing an healthy environment, thus are builded around this as a base principle. So every environmental aspect of the economical development is regulated by legislation that helps empowering this principle. This also applies into mining field, but such work involves a variety of legal, economic and social issues. By analyzing these issues, the conclusion is that a strong and forced economic development is not always bringing the greatest benefit to human communities, because there are certain sacrifices that sometimes are too big to be made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Documentation in Journalism. Rosia Montana Case. A recent and low profile documentation visit carried out in New Zealand by a group of journalists, with the support of Gold Corporation, woke tumultuous reactions of the media. Could this be the abandon of "all journalism praxis"? Are these incriminations nothing but the reaction of those who weren't on the trip? Is, however, the visit an "ethical crime" (as Doru Buscu was wondering auto ironically, calling up the curiosity presumption). Moreover, appeals of saving the "tearful Rosia Montana" generated a wide-scale emotional tremble. We must admit the fact that Alburnus Maior (the old name of the village) has always fed a "diabolic enchantment". In this paper, we are examining the present case without warlike inflammation and smoky props. In the following, we therefore set out to bring forward - with an analytic calmness and based on technical-sociological valuations - the demonstrations, pondering upon pros and cons of the matter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gold ore from Roşia Montană has been extracted since ancient times up to the present. While the ancient extracting and processing traditional techniques had a minimum impact upon the environment, the modern techniques have affected all the components of the natural environment. If the ore is treated according to the program issued by the Canadian company Gold Corporation, the geographic space of the area will turn into an industrial desert. The environmental problems are related both to the specific of such an industrial activity and to the use of huge quantities of sodium cyanide directly on the preparation flow from the plant. There are very few similar cases in the world. Cyanides are mostly used to treat gold ore, an operation which needs maximum security, closed spaces in isolated areas and the neutralization (detoxifying) is made on the spot. The use of cyanides in open spaces, including the flow of preparation plants, has always raised environmental problems. In fact, the neutralization technologies do not entirely eliminate the toxic effect of the cyanides; usually less toxic chemical products are obtained (cyanites, sulphuric acid, ammonia, nitrates etc.), In order to avoid an ecologic disaster and for the preservation of the local patrimony values, several recommendations should be considered, because they allow both the use of the ore - a socio-economic necessity the area - and the ecologic reconstruction of the geographic area that has been affected. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Roşia Montană Project represents a responsible mining project in progress in the Apuseni Mountains, Romania. It is the first mining project developed in Romania according to up-to-date Romanian and international (EU) standards. Besides specific geological and mining aspects, the Project comprises various other aspects concerning the culture and the community. The present paper presents the cultural heritage of Roşia Montană in the framework of the new mining development proposed by Roşia Montană Gold Corporation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]