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Risks of Caribbean Refining

When one thinks of Caribbean islands, the first thought is of sunny weather and beautiful sandy beaches. The islands are considered one of the best places to vacation due to the great weather and welcoming peoples. It is also said to be a great place to store your wealth abroad. Banking is another part of the allure of these islands as foreigners find the political and legal climate favorable to them in storing wealth here. This region has however in recent years become a popular mining destination. In fact some islands have already entered into agreements to mine gold reserves in the region.

 

The downside to this is that the work entailed in mining and refining of precious metals like gold tends to result in great damage to the environment. Given the incredible beauty of the environment in the Caribbean, it is considered highly risky for the islands to pursue this kind of invest. In many parts of the world where mining and refining of precious metals has occurred, the amount of waste and toxic matter that results has proven to be a huge problem that further spreads when the toxic materials end up in the water ways.

 

Caribbean refining processes have proven highly toxic as can be evidenced in the Dominican Republic where locals have protested the damage being caused not only to the water but even the crops they are growing. For those not directly benefitting from the mining work, there is suffering that needs to be addressed before mining progresses. The level of toxicity will not only affect the local population, but may also lead to foreigners travelling for the sake of tourism declining in numbers. If the waters become a problem to drink or even swim in, the part of the allure of the islands may be lost for many years to come. 

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