Romania's Roman gold mines get UNESCO heritage status

BUCHAREST (AP) — Ancient Roman mining galleries in a mountainous Romanian region that has been at the center of a long, fierce battle between a Canadian mining company and environmentalists were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list Tuesday.

Rosia Montana, located in western Romania, is home to Europe’s largest gold deposits, an estimated 314 tonnes (346 tons). Gabriel Resources, a Canadian mining company that gained concession rights in 1999, planned to extract the gold and around 1,500 tons of silver (1,653 tons) over a 16-year period.

The mining project, which the Romanian government owned a 20% stake in, also would involve razing four mountain tops, displacing hundreds of local families and leaving behind a waste lake containing cyanide, a toxic chemical used in the process of gold extraction.

The project drew opposition from environmental and civic activists who helped organize protests that drew tens of thousands of people to Romania's streets. Some of the activists called for the area to be included on the UNESCO list. The Romanian government withdrew its support for the project in 2014.

Rosia Montana Mayor Eugen Furdui, who had supported the mining project, told Romanian news channel Digi24 that UNESCO heritage status would not bring any benefits to local residents or the country.

But Romanian President Klaus Iohannis welcomed UNESCO’s decision. “Through joint efforts of the authorities and specialists, Rosia Montana must become a model of value for heritage through the sustainable development of the area,” he said Tuesday.

The mining company, which invested hundreds of millions in developing the project, is seeking $4.4 billion (3.7 billion euros) in damages from the Romanian state for its losses. It said the project would have provided jobs in an area where...