Tuesday
Dec152009
International Mining Co. to Payout Biggest Toxic Waste Clean Up Settlement in U.S. History
December 15, 2009 Kyriaki (Sandy) Venetis 
Cartoon by Khalil Bendib.
For a long time in industry, it has been profitable to do business, save costs by ignoring clean up regulations, and then if caught, pay some small fines. Well, not anymore!
Grupo Mexico, the largest mining corporation in Mexico and the third largest copper producer in the world, has agreed to provide a total of $1.79 billion to resolve the environmental liabilities incurred by its subsidiary, American Smelting and Refining Co. LLC, a mining, smelting, and refining company, based in Tucson, Ariz.
Under a bankruptcy reorganization, ASARCO has been found liable for violations ranging from operations that contaminated land, water, and wildlife resources on federal, state, tribal, and private lands.