The cyanide spillage at Barrick Gold's mine in Veladero in San Juan was five times greater than what had previously been revealed, according to a report by Buenos Aires Herald.

The company has finally confirmed that that is the case following an investigation into the spillage which revealed that their were lethal amounts of cyanide that have spilled over. The accident, which took place on September 12, was caused because of a valve failure coupled with a sluice gate being left open. Initially the company has now reported a figure of 1,072 cubic metres (1.072 million litres) of cyanide solution -- which had spilled over into the Potrerillos river.

Initially the figure had been misreported at a relatively modest 224,000 litres. As of now Cyanide leeching operations have been put on hold after a court order. Fortunately, an investigation reveals that the polluted water hasn't quite reached the townships and that the water around these livable neighborhoods is clean to drink.

This incident put the leadership of Barrick's Gold under immense scrutiny and the courts are doing all in the power to bring them to book. Acoording to the Herald's report a second investigation is currently underway, which is seperate from the probe launched by the Federal prosecutor. The people being accused in this new investigation have been named: Environment Secretary Sergio Lorusso, Mining Secretary Jorge Mayoral, San Juan Environment Secretary Domingo Tello, the president of the San Juan Mining Chamber Santiago Bergé and the leadership of Barrick Gold Argentina.

The issue of spillages is a very urgent one and is one that needs the attention of authorites right now A spillage of this magnitude and with such a lethal substance involved definitely needs to come with some heavy reckoning and punishment.