Rosia Montana The Way It Is

Gabriel Resources (GR), a Toronto-based mining junior intends to develop a large part of Romanias Apuseni mountains. Rosia Montana Gold Corporation (RMGC) is a joint venture between Gabriel Resources (80%) and Minvest S.A. (- 20%), Romanias state mining company. Under the agreement GR will deliver the base capital of $450mio; in exchange the Romanian government will receive a 2% gross production royalty. GR is a Barbados registered company.

The project covers an initial 1600ha; including Rosia Montana and Corna. Opencast mining will be developed in Rosia Montana and will cover a minimum of 722 ha. The adjacent valley of Corna will house the tailings pond. It will cover a surface of up to 800ha. and will be held by a 185m high Dam made of waste rock. Given that both valleys are inhabited, 2150 people; 740 subsistence farmers and 138 apartments will have to make way and resettle. Mine life is at an average of 14years. During peak operation the project will employ a workforce of 248.

This is how Gabriel advertises Rosia Montana

This is how Rosia Montana actually looks like

Rosia Montana The Way It Is This is Rosia Montanas fate according to Gabriel

What does it MEAN?

But What does it MEAN? Something like this pit but 4 of them

Whats there now?

Under Romanian law Rosia Montana is a protected valley and this because of its great cultural patrimony. Until nationalization in 1948, Rosia Montana was a prosperous town; this because the locals had rights over the mine galleries and the gold. Many still own these documents, Claiming that These rights are still valid and therefore contest the Legality of Gabriels license. large town houses dating from the 18th & 19 th century still bear witness of Rosia Montanas glorious past. They date from times when the locals were left free to shape their own lives. Mining and agriculture have since time immemorial Been closely connected.

Rosia Montana is Romanias oldest documented mining settlement; also know known by its Roman name Alburnus Maior. Gold has been mined here since 2000 years and the area is littered with important archaeological remains such as temples, thermae, settlements, fortified buildings, Roman cemeteries, Roman mine galleries; to name but a few. Whilst some of these treasures have been unearthed; more still lie beneath the surface…

Roman mine galleries of Rosia Montanas Cirnic Massif

Entrance into a Roman Gallery on Cirnicel

Entrance into a Roman Gallery on Cirnics surface

Rosia Montanas Orlea Roman galleries

If we are to have progress, supermarkets and apartment blocs, then we have to accept that some of the archaeological treasures will have to be destroyed. Andrew Kuczmarek ex-vice president and General Manager, Gabriel Resources

This is one of Rosia Montanas historic buildings

But it is also a home

And this is its owner

And she owns a property

She, too owns her property

And so does she

And she owns a property

And so do they…

And she owns property

And he owns more than just his bees

And they own homes… right where Gabriel wants to build Europes largest open cast gold mine…

And she does

This sign reads: This house is not for sale

They are all Gabriel Resource Rebels And their homes are Not for sale

There are many of them… Alburnus Maior represents over 350 families; opposed to Gabriels project on social, environmental, economic and patrimonial grounds.

This is Othilia

She lives in a valley adjacent to Rosia Montana She lives in a place called Corna

This is Corna Valley

This is how tailings look like

This is how a tailings pond looks like

And because Gabriel wants to make a lot of profit, they will use cyanide. It will end up in the tailings pond that will cover up to 800ha.

Gabriel intends cover Corna with a metal sludge like this

This is what cyanide - laced tailings can effect when they accidentally escape

Rosia Montana, 28.July 2002

Because tailings, pits and waste dumps take up a lot of space, 2150 locals will have to be involuntarily resettled and make way for Gabriels Rosia Montana open-cast gold mining project.

This is how involuntary relocation looks like …

…to those who havent been asked

In absence of the projects Environmental Impact Assessment and public consultations, Gabriel is already relocating the local population.

We are sure that eventually we can convince all of the affected population about the benefits of moving. Bruce Marsh, ex Gabriel Resources vice president Environmental & Regulatory Affairs

Othilias opinion on involuntary resettlement

This is how she stopped the politicians in the first place

And she is not on her own…

Rosia Montana, 16. April 2002

Bucharest, October 2002

Bucharest, October 2003

Solidarity March; 6-11 September 2003

Bucharest, 16. June 2003

Once more, Alburnus Maior warns Gabriel Resources shareholders and all possible investors that this project will never take place. And this, besides any other reason, for the simple fact that we will not sell our homes, pastures, forests, churches and cemeteries, and we will not move from Rosia Montana or Corna. Nobody, and no money can force us out. May be you consider that we are poor people by Canadian standards, but we are not for sale, and you should understand that there are things and people that money cannot buy. We know very well our rights, just as we know that the concessions rights obtained by RMGC are not legal, and can be suppressed at any time in a court of law. Bucharest, 16. June 2003