El Salvador Could Become First Country to Ban Metal Mining

The 178-point Ley General de Agua, a broad bill that would prioritize human consumption over industrial and commercial uses of water, was introduced in March 2012 and is currently under debate in the Legislative Assembly. The MARN’s website has posted a poll which questions whether lawmakers should “urgently pass” the bill — and over 95 percent of the almost 1,200 respondents have answered yes.
There are currently no active metal mining operations using water-intensive cyanide ore processes in this densely populated Central American country. President Mauricio Funes has continued a policy begun five years ago by his predecessor, Antonio Saca, against new mining permits, yet cross-border mining continues to threaten water sources.
http://panampost.com/charlette-sosa/2013/10/13/el-salvador-could-become-first-country-to-ban-metal-mining/