Negative Impact of Gold Extraction by Barrick Gold in the Dominican Republic

Gold mining has long been heralded as a driver of economic growth in resource-rich countries. In the Dominican Republic, the Pueblo Viejo mine—operated by a joint venture between Canada’s Barrick Gold (60 %) and the U.S. Newmont Corporation (40 %)—is one of the world’s largest gold producers. Yet beneath the gleaming statistics of output and export revenue lies a trail of environmental degradation, health crises, and social upheaval in the communities downstream from the mine. This article examines the negative impacts of gold extraction by Barrick Gold in the Dominican Republic, detailing the environmental contamination, human health consequences, food insecurity, forced displacement, and the ongoing struggle for transparency and justice.

1. Overview of Pueblo Viejo Mine and Special Contract

The Pueblo Viejo mine started commercial gold production in 2012, following construction that began in 2008. It sits in the province of Sánchez Ramírez, about 100 km northwest of Santo Domingo. Through a “special contract” with the Dominican government, the project leases nearly 40 km² of land under terms that exempt the operation from national mining law and grant Barrick and Newmont immunity from historic contamination liabilities in exchange for a one-time US $37 million environmental remediation payment(Earthworks).

Though touted as a flagship of foreign investment, the contract framework has undermined regulatory oversight and curtailed community rights to essential environmental information. As communities have experienced escalating contamination and health threats, the lack of transparency and accountability embedded in the special contract has become a focal point of local and international criticism.

2. Tailings Dam: A Looming Catastrophe

2.1 El Llagal Tailings Storage Facility

The mine’s primary environmental hazard is the El Llagal tailings storage facility (TSF)—a dam holding back mine waste, known as tailings, with a height of over 114 meters and classified as having “extreme” consequences in the event of failure(Earthworks). Tailings are the finely ground rock and water slurry leftover after gold extraction, often containing toxic elements such as arsenic, lead, mercury, and residual cyanide.

The El Llagal dam was constructed in an area prone to seismic activity and heavy rainfall, heightening its vulnerability(MiningWatch). Its safety classification indicates that a collapse could result in over 100 deaths, massive economic losses, and irreversible environmental damage—including downstream water contamination and the obliteration of agricultural lands.

2.2 Proposed Naranjo Tailings Facility and Expansion

As El Llagal nears capacity, Barrick plans to build a second TSF—El Naranjo—spanning nearly 16 km² and holding up to 645 million m³ of combined tailings and potentially acid-generating waste rock(MiningWatch). An independent review by Dr. Steven Emerman concluded that Barrick’s Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) for the expansion “fails to consider the real environmental and social risks,” does not justify its site selection, and overlooks industry best practices such as backfilling exhausted pits to reduce aboveground dam risks.

Communities feared that constructing two massive dams in close proximity would compound the potential for a catastrophic failure(Earthworks). Despite expert warnings, Barrick’s ESIA provided no long-term monitoring or maintenance plan beyond a ten-year water treatment scheme—leaving future care of one of the world’s largest earth-core rockfill dams in the hands of the Dominican government(MiningWatch).

3. Water Contamination and Bottled Water Dependency

3.1 Household Water Safety

For over a decade, downstream communities have faced severe water contamination from mine discharges and tailings seepage. Since 2011, residents have relied on bottled water for drinking and cooking—initially supplied by the company and later by government agencies. Yet each household receives only 15 gallons twice weekly, forcing families to resort to potentially contaminated tap water for bathing and washing(Earthworks).

Local surface water sources—rivers and streams—have suffered heavy-metal loading, with documented cyanide, arsenic, lead, and other toxins found in both river water and residents’ blood tests. A 2014 investigative report revealed cyanide and metal residues in blood samples from four affected communities(Earthworks).

3.2 Livestock and Ecosystem Damage

Contaminated river water has been linked to livestock deaths. Reports describe cattle, pigs, and fish perishing after consuming local river water downstream of tailings facilities. In some cases, fish carcasses floated to the surface of the Maguaca River, prompting local schools to temporarily close due to foul odors and health concerns(Jacobin).

Such incidents underscore the interconnectedness of ecosystem health and community well-being: as livestock perish and fisheries collapse, food security is directly compromised.

4. Air Quality, Dust, and Respiratory Illnesses

Daily dust from mining operations and waste handling blankets homes in a fine black layer. Residents report cleaning their houses every day to remove mine dust, which infiltrates indoor spaces and poses respiratory hazards(Earthworks). Community members have described persistent coughing, asthma, and other pulmonary disorders, particularly among children and the elderly.

Environmental monitoring networks—which might track particulate matter (PM₁₀ and PM₂.₅) near tailings dams and processing plants—have been absent or limited. A lack of real-time air quality data compounds residents’ inability to document health impacts or seek redress.

5. Health Impacts on Community Members

5.1 Common Health Problems

Consistent reports from multiple sources describe elevated rates of:

• Skin lesions and rashes: Painful boils, rashes, and scarring resembling cyanide-induced dermatological symptoms(Earthworks).
• Vision loss: Blurred vision and other ocular ailments potentially linked to heavy-metal exposure.
• Nausea and gastrointestinal distress: Persistent stomachaches, vomiting, and loss of appetite.
• Fatigue and dizziness: Chronic tiredness and lightheadedness impeding daily activities.
• Respiratory issues: Asthma, bronchitis, and persistent coughing associated with dust and airborne contaminants(The Guardian).

5.2 Elevated Blood Lead and Heavy Metal Levels

Medical examinations in 2014 confirmed elevated levels of lead, arsenic, and cyanide in villagers’ blood. Doctors reportedly advised that health outcomes would not improve unless patients relocated away from the mining operations permanently(Earthworks).

5.3 Increased Mortality and Overwhelmed Cemeteries

Community activists report a noticeable uptick in deaths since Barrick commenced operations—doubling burial rates and overwhelming local cemeteries. Some village graveyards were appropriated by the company for construction, further straining communal mourning practices(Jacobin).

While causality between mining activities and mortality remains contested by government agencies and company representatives, the absence of rigorous epidemiological studies leaves communities to interpret the patterns themselves.

6. Agricultural Decline and Food Insecurity

6.1 Crop Rot and Soil Contamination

Residents who once cultivated mangoes, plantains, oranges, cacao, and other staples have witnessed their orchards and fields deteriorate. Farmers report fruit rotting on the tree before harvest, reduced yields, and barren soils—attributed to soil contamination by heavy metals and altered water chemistry(Earthworks).

In one testimony, a farmer explained that his livelihood vanished overnight when produce failed to mature, prompting families to travel long distances to purchase basic foods they previously grew themselves—effectively creating a “food desert” in an agrarian region.

6.2 Loss of Livelihoods

Beyond contamination, mining displaced small-scale agriculture by converting farmland into industrial sites. When El Llagal dam construction commenced in 2007, 65 households were forcibly relocated from El Llagal, Fátima, and Los Cacaos. Though a resettlement agreement included US $1.5 million in compensation and new housing, relocated families now live in semi-urban areas without arable land for cultivation, undermining income sources and food autonomy(Earthworks).

Farmers displaced by every stage of dam expansion have faced broken promises: land-for-land agreements remain unfulfilled, and financial compensation has been delayed or insufficient to purchase equivalent plots.

7. Forced Displacement and Involuntary Resettlement

7.1 Comité Nuevo Renacer and Census Findings

Six downstream communities—La Cerca, La Piñita, Las Lagunas, Jobo Claro, Jurungo, and El Naranjo—formed the Comité Nuevo Renacer (CNR) to advocate for relocation. At CNR’s insistence, the government conducted a census identifying 369 families eligible for relocation due to intolerable environmental and health conditions. Yet, to date, only the original 65 families displaced in 2007 have successfully completed resettlement(Earthworks).

CNR has collaborated with civil society partners, such as the Espacio Nacional por la Transparencia de la Industria Extractiva (ENTRE), to develop a community-centered relocation plan. However, despite clear evidence of need, the government has stalled—leaving hundreds in harm’s way.

7.2 Threats to New Communities from Expansion

Barrick’s proposed El Naranjo TSF would necessitate moving six more communities—Arroyo Vuelta, Las Lajas, Tres Bocas, Dos Palmas, La Placeta, and La Jagua Mocha. Independent analysis highlighted the absence of fair compensation plans and lack of meaningful engagement with affected households(Earthworks).

Community protests and makeshift camps have formed along proposed dam sites, demanding proper agreements. Yet, reports indicate that Barrick employees, accompanied by military forces, have attempted to clear forests and cut roads on contested land, exacerbating tensions and environmental damage.

8. Lack of Transparency and Community Exclusion

8.1 Restricted Access to Information

Barrick’s operations in the Dominican Republic are characterized by opacity. Key documents—ESIAs, safety studies, water quality tests—are often withheld, incomplete, or cited as “in progress,” impeding public scrutiny. Communities lack the data needed to verify claimed mitigation measures or to understand long-term risks to health and livelihoods(MiningWatch).

8.2 Virtual AGM and Mobile Billboard Actions

Despite repeated calls for in-person annual general meetings, Barrick has held AGMs exclusively online—excluding direct community participation. In 2024, the CNR rented a mobile billboard outside Barrick’s Toronto headquarters to broadcast relocation demands to shareholders during the virtual AGM(Earthworks). Similar actions accompanied the 2025 meeting, underscoring growing frustration over corporate unresponsiveness.

8.3 Independent Expert Reviews

In response to Barrick’s evasions, communities enlisted global experts such as Dr. Steven Emerman to review tailings safety and ESIA processes. His analyses revealed flawed methodologies, selective risk disclosure, and the dismissal of safer alternatives like pit backfilling—contradicting industry best practices and Barrick’s public commitments to safety(MiningWatch).

9. Regulatory and Civil Society Context

9.1 Role of EITI and Government Reforms

Under the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative (EITI), the Dominican Republic publishes revenue flows and contract details. Civil society actors leverage EITI platforms to challenge mining expansion and push for beneficial ownership disclosures and stronger environmental safeguards(EITI).

Pending reforms to the Mining Law aim to bolster transparency and community rights, but progress remains slow. The Ministry of Energy and Mines has indicated a 2025 legislative effort to update licensing procedures and environmental regulations.

9.2 International Oversight and Campaigns

Global watchdogs—Earthworks, MiningWatch Canada, and others—coordinate campaigns to highlight corporate malfeasance, organize Global Weeks of Action, and pressure financiers and investors to adopt environmental, social, and governance (ESG) criteria. These efforts have attracted media attention from outlets such as The Guardian, Jacobin, and national news sites.

10. Corporate Climate Resilience Claims versus Local Realities

While Barrick’s sustainability reports emphasize climate scenario analysis, GHG emissions targets, and community resilience initiatives, local experiences paint a starkly different picture. Communities remain exposed to contaminated water, unmonitored tailings dams, and health hazards—contradicting corporate assertions of holistic environmental management(Barrick).

The dissonance between grand sustainability frameworks and day-to-day human suffering highlights a systemic gap: centralized risk assessments fail to incorporate indigenous knowledge, lived experiences, or community-defined definitions of resilience.

11. Pathways to Remedy and Recommendations

To redress the enduring injustices inflicted by gold extraction at Pueblo Viejo, stakeholders should consider the following:

1. Immediate Relocation of Affected Families
   Implement CNR’s community-centered relocation plan without further delay, ensuring adequate land, housing, and livelihood restoration for all 369 identified families(Earthworks).

2. Comprehensive Environmental and Health Assessments
   Commission independent multidisciplinary studies—covering water, soil, air, and human health—with full community participation, data transparency, and regular public updates.

3. Enhanced Tailings Dam Safety Protocols
   Reevaluate tailings management strategies using the “Safety First” standard, consider pit backfilling, retrofit existing dams with spillways and monitoring instrumentation, and develop binding long-term maintenance plans enforceable under national law(MiningWatch).

4. Transparent Corporate-Government Accountability
   Amend the special contract framework to align with national mining legislation, remove liability waivers for historic contamination, and mandate public disclosure of all environmental monitoring data and ESIA documents.

5. Strengthening Regulatory Capacity
   Bolster the Dominican government’s ability to enforce environmental regulations, conduct surprise inspections, and penalize violations—counteracting corporate influence and conflicts of interest.

6. Community-Led Monitoring and Decision-Making
   Establish joint community-company-government oversight committees, incorporate local environmental defenders in risk management, and provide capacity building for community-driven water and air quality testing(Earthworks).

7. Financial Safeguards and Remediation Funds
   Require Barrick to contribute to an environmental remediation trust fund—managed by an independent board including community representatives—to guarantee funding for cleanup, health care, and livelihood restitution.

8. Investor and Market Pressure
   Encourage socially responsible investors, lenders, and insurers to integrate community impact performance into due diligence, and to demand compliance with global tailings safety and human rights standards as conditions for financing.

12. Conclusion

The story of gold extraction by Barrick Gold in the Dominican Republic is emblematic of a broader global pattern: major mining projects often enrich distant shareholders and state treasuries while imposing disproportionate environmental and human costs on marginalized communities. Despite decades of documented contamination, health crises, and unfulfilled relocation commitments, affected villages near Pueblo Viejo continue to face existential threats from toxic tailings dams, polluted rivers, and corporate-backed expansion plans.

True sustainability must transcend glossy corporate reports and recalibrate to prioritize human rights, ecological integrity, and community self-determination. As the Dominican Republic undertakes regulatory reforms and global campaigns amplify local voices, there remains an urgent opportunity to transform the legacy of gold mining into one of justice, restoration, and equitable development—turning the “barbarity” of unbridled extraction into a path toward genuine progress.