Proposed Mining Operations for Baja California

Exploraciones Oceánicas a Mexican subsidiary of Odyssey Marine Exploration (OMEX)is in the permit process for underwater mining for phosphates in Baja’s Pacific coast. Known as the “Don Diego project” Ocenanica has received it’s concession for the Gulf of Ulloa but does not yet have its permits. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) for proposed dredging and recovery of phosphate sands from the “Don Diego” deposit has been filed with the Mexican Secretary of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) as of Sept. 4th, 2014 and is waiting the 60 days for a response.

Phosphates are mostly used in the production of fertilizers and the plan is to mine 91,000 acres of sea bed to extract 24/7, 365 days a year, 350 million tons of phosphate sands over a 50 year period. The Gulf of Ulloa is the large bay that incorporates Bahia San Juanico (Scorpion Bay) and to the north Laguna San Ignacio and Magdalena Bay to the south.

What bothers many of us in Baja is that very few people are aware that this type of underwater mining is not only being considered, but almost permitted. There was a public hearing on the 5th of November, mid-week in the town of Constitucion causing complaints that not as many could make it there especially mid-week.

The plan is to literally suck up the sea floor using standard Trailer Suction Hopper Dredging (TSHD). The large ship used is manufactured by Bosaklis and operated by DragaMex of Mexico. DragaMex does have 220 dredging project completed in Mexico for marinas, ports and rivers but not necessarily for mining.

There may be a problem in how they dispose of what are not phosphates. The waste will be returned to the sea using a “Green Valve” meaning it will be redeposit below the level that plankton grows. This sounds great but there will still be a plume (suspended waste solids) created up to 4 kilometers that may affect sea life in a negative way. They claim to do this in an area of low level sea life but we all know the oceans and planet are connected and this could create a negative impact on the environment.

There is much concern about the plume and the disturbance of other heavy metals by this process and the affect this will have on turtles, red crabs, lobster, abalone, migrating whales and of course the local fisheries. Opposition to this project is beginning to grow as people know more about it. The mayor of Comondu, Pérez Sánchez where the project is based and the Secretary of Fisheries of Baja, José Fernando García Romero has formally spoken against the mining in favor of the fisheries and will protest to the president of Mexico. “We are completely against mining projects being established in this area, above all within our municipality, as it aggressively threatens the different marine species and ecosystems” – Mayor of Comondu, Pérez Sánchez

I have met with a retired Mexican Air force General as well who originally was in favor of the project and was hired by Oceanica to help liaison with the fisheries. Ret. Gen. Arturo Gonzalez Ramirez is no longer in favor of this project stating that the company has little respect for the environment from what he has seen. He believes it could be done right but in his opinion this is not the company to do so. There was a large dispute between Oceananica Explorations, Gonzale Ramirez, SERMANAT and PROFEPA the two environmental agencies of Mexico concerning the drilling for exploration without the proper permits. While the company at times dismissed the fact that had done any drilling it was then confirmed by Oceanica consultant Daniel de Narvaez that they had to drill in order to study such phosphate deposits. The problem with drilling for core samples is that neither environmental agencies of Mexico, PROFEPA nor SERMANAT had any permits on file for them to be doing this kind of sea bed extraction. This is the kind of misinformation that led to Gonzalez Ramirez changing his views on Oceanica Exploraciones and their desire to mine responsibly.

A local Fishery, the Puerto Chale Fishing Cooperative, has come out against it as well. This is one of several fisheries in the area and they are concerned about two major factors; the plume, affecting their fisheries and the sound, which can be upwards of 140 megahertz and may have a negative effect on the migrating whales. The science of the 4600 page of the EIA claims this would not be the case as they are mining too far out for the Humpback whales and too close in for other species of whales and fish.

Oceanica proposed mining areas

Puerto Chale fishing area

Oceanica claims that the mining will not even be in the area of the fisheries. However by looking at the map submitted by Oceanica and Chale fishing cooperative it does look like there is substantial overlap especially when considering the plume could extend 4 kilometers from the dredge.

Why aren’t there more non-governmental organizations (NGO’s) such as Green Peace, WWF, Ocean or Nature Conservancy opposed to this? Is it that the proposed “Don Diego project” is not that environmentally unsafe or is it that they are not aware of what it is? BCS Noticias is one of the only local sources that have been reporting on this and they seem to be against the project wholeheartedly.

I found one site that had 50 comments on this project but it is for investors of OMEX and while they speak in favor of the project they cite the fact underwater mining is completely new to the company Odyessy out of Tampa Florida. They have historically been an exploration and salvage company and this is their first project into mining it appears.

While this is a new industry to Odyssey it is not a new method of mining in the world. There is another company trying to mine phosphates from the sea floor off the coast of Namibian in Africa and they currently have a moratorium holding the company back as they investigate further for the risk of losing their fisheries. There is also a similar project in New Zealand as well in an area called the “Chatham Rise” and it too has been held up by environmentalist and fisheries. In both of these countries each project has been stalled or stopped due to the possible long term damages versus the relatively short term profits. One other point is that Ocenanica’s “Don Diego” project will only employ approximately 80 locals in that 50 year period.

Phosphates are necessary in fertilizers and some food production the largest land mining and 80 percent of the production currently comes from the Western Sahara Desert where the Moroccan’s mine 85%of the phosphates used in the world. These continue needs for a non-renewable resource such as phosphates will continue to rise in the growing world population. There is little doubt that these needs will continue to grow but at what costs do we fulfill them? There are many questions raised by this operation and not all are just about this specific project. Many feel worldwide that while no one has been permitted yet to marine mine using these methods this could be the first and therefore open the door for others.

Bahia San Juanico (Scorpion Bay)

Here are a few of the questions: at what costs including environmentally should a country incur for the extraction of a resource? Can this type of mining be done in a way that is does not negatively affect the environment? Have there been enough studies done to prove that there will not be any major environmental issues caused by this underwater mining? Should this permit be given in light of what other countries and scientist have discovered and published at this time?

It is my intention here in this article to make people at least aware of what is happening in Baja. While BajaInsider is not really a news agency when it comes to the environment of Baja we are always concerned as many of our readers are. We felt the necessity to inform people of this possible business venture that could negatively affect Baja as a whole. We welcome any questions or comments and would like to hear from Odyssey Marine or its subsidiary Oceanica Exploraciones concerning this project. Please feel free to make your feelings known via letter and petitions such as the one below.

If you feel the government of Mexico should give the go ahead and allow this type of mining then you can just wait and see if Ocenanica in fact does receive their permits. If you feel however that the risks outweigh the gains or would like to see more studies done please feel free to sign the petition below:

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/257/195/415/say-no-o-offshore-phosphate-mining/

For additional information concerning the parent company Odyssey please visit www.odysseymarine.com