Poisoned Village - Urbex - Jeroen Taal Photography

This church spire is the only thing that is still visible from the little village that is located in the valley below. It now is almost completely hidden below a lake of toxic waste one-hundred meters deep. This waste is produced by a nearby copper mine that started it's mining activities four decades ago. The waste contains cyanide, which is used to extract the copper from the mine.

In the seventies, the leading communist dictator claimed the entire region for the purpose of the mine. Over 300 families were forced to relocate and received a small compensation for their homes. But despite the flooding, not everyone left the valley. A few people moved to higher ground as the lake rose.

At the current pace, the toxic lake increases one meter each year. It won't be long before the last remembrance of this village will be gone forever.

Apparently the mining company made plans to demolish the church spire a couple of years ago. This plan was canceled after an outcry from the remaining locals.

The colored water full of acid is a result of rain and spring-water reacting with the minerals exposed by the mine. This process also occurs naturally, but mining intensifies this effect.

Various toxic materials have already infiltrated the groundwater in the area. Things could even get worse when toxic pollution reaches a closeby river. This would result in an even larger spread crossing borders, turning into a big environmental disaster.

The villagers were told that their ancestor's graves would be relocated. This unfortunately never happened. These graves are almost gone. Many other graves lie deep beneath the toxic waste practically impossible to recover.

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