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(probably longest note i have made, but its on a personal note to my people)

About and History

This is part of Calancan Bay, nearby Santa Cruz, and more famously known around the world for the Marcopper Mining Disaster. The Canadian run Marcopper mine pumped over 200 million tons of waste into this bay for years, after constant opposition by the locals of the area regarding the environment and their health Marcopper stopped pumping into this shallow bay, instead filling an old cut out mine with its waste until it found a permanent solution. Unfortunetly they did not perform any environmental risk assessment on this new site. Despite reports of cracks, it continued to fill with mine tailings and toxic waste. Eventually a significant leak was discovered in the pit's drainage tunnel. This subsequently fractured. The accident discharged tailings into the Makulapnit-Boac river system. The impact on Marinduque and the peoples livelihood was devastating, a rush of tailings displaced river water which inundated low-lying areas, destroying crops and vegetable gardens and clogging irrigation channels to rice fields. The release left the Boac River virtually dead. The effects of the incident were so devastating that a UN assessment mission declared the accident to be a major environmental disaste. The toxic spills immediately caused flash floods which isolated five villages, with a population of 4,400 people, along the far side of the Boac river. One village, Barangay Hinapula, was buried under six feet of muddy floodwater and 400 families had to flee to higher grounds. Their sources of drinking water were contaminated while fish, freshwater shrimp and pigs were killed. Boac river, which is the main source of livelihood for the surrounding areas has been declared dead by government officials. (although it still flows a little to this day).

This bay, When exposed to the ocean breezes whilst the mine waste was pumped into the ecosystem, sometimes the tailings become airborne and landed on the rice fields, in open wells, and on village homes. The locals apparently called this their "snow from Canada". This "Snow from Canada", comprising of Mine Tailings, has forced 59 children to undergo traumatic lead detoxification in the Philippine capital of Manila. Unfortunately, at least three children have died from this heavy metal poisoning.

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Taken shortly after a tyhpoon passed nearby provinces to the south, the swell has brought up a lot of debris, particulary coconut remains from around the area. Apparently it is unsafe to eat or drink from the surrounding areas, it seems all strange as you enter the area. It is very untouched, massive mangroves ecosystems, the bay and many beaches are untouched, it honestly looks like god's garden. Jungle, Caves (Bathala Caves nearby), wildlife everywhere. A very beautiful spot on Marinduque, very untouched, despite what went on years back. Their is still a taboo among locals regarding fishing, and oyster farming, despite this they still grow and feed many around the area. They have no choice. I am not aware if the area and food products in this local area is still effects... I indeed hope not.

Despite all this, i would say, environmental trauma, its a incredible ecosystem of rivers, mangroves, cave systems and jungle. Few people fish here anymore, but as you can see their are a couple of bangkas. The Area is relatively untouched.

Driving to Calancan bay is a eventful journey of tough roads, if you want to reach this untouched bay of beaches and mangroves you just need to head to the Bathala Caves, and once you reach the caves (everyone knows where the caves are) continue driving along the road, you will soon see beach and a small village, take the right road and continue on the road (ask those villagers in the village past the caves where the "Bay/beach" is if lost) and continue... You can still see many of the massive metal pipes used by marcopper sitting around rusting in piles, ripped out by locals. Along the way you will also still see a couple of rusted out old marcopper trucks. The Marcopper mining disaster is recorded as the worst mining disaster in the Philippines History, Marcopper has just sued the parent company 100 million in compensation in 2006.. They are now strectched into a long and expensive legal battle, as marcopper refuses to pay compensation.

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Not much done to this shot, sharpened due to resize. Other than that its raw. what you see is what you get.

Thanks for viewing.

Placer Dome (which ran the mine at the time of the disaster - now run by Barrick) is the sixth largest gold mining company in the world and is listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange. Marinduque Island remains one of the poorest provinces in the Philippines