Was that thermometer clean before or after you stirred?
New Thread.........veeeerrry old problem.....Mercury on our seabed.
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- Start date
Was that thermometer clean before or after you stirred?
SADS 669
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- #22
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Probably not, but that's Soldiers for you!!
doc-d
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That is assuming the courts seek justice and truth, which they don't
old man
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Doc, you have a good point. If an attorney can get environmental groups behind the lawsuit and doctors, because of medical problems? I think it would work and if Spain is already worried about such a suit? I think it will work. If we don't try something? We've already lost. Just look at Panama in recent weeks.
SADS 669
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Got to find a few Mercury wrecks first though, otherwise, EVERYONE knows it's hot air...
Last edited:
Colombiapictures
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Minamata Disaster
Over 3,000 victims have been recognized as having "Minamata
Disease". It has taken some of these people over thirty years to
receive compensation for this inconceivable event. In 1993, nearly
forty years later, the Japanese courts were still resolving
suitable compensation for the victims. Many people have lost their
lives, suffered from physical deformities, or have had to live with
the physical and emotional pain of "Minamata Disease". This
suffering is all a result of the very wrongful and negligent acts
of the Chisso Corporation who dumped mercury into the sea water and
poisoned the people of Japan.
Unlike the Minamata disaster, where chemical compounds containing mercury were dumped, the mercury from shipwrecks is usually in metallic form. The metallic mercury can be sucked up together with the sand and sediments around a shipwreck. The mercury can then easily be separated with gravity filtering. Any gold and such contaminants could be separated at the same time and the clean sediments returned to the bottom of the oceans.
The cost of the cleanup should be carried by the owners of the shipwreck or the nation claiming ownership of the shipwreck.
Over 3,000 victims have been recognized as having "Minamata
Disease". It has taken some of these people over thirty years to
receive compensation for this inconceivable event. In 1993, nearly
forty years later, the Japanese courts were still resolving
suitable compensation for the victims. Many people have lost their
lives, suffered from physical deformities, or have had to live with
the physical and emotional pain of "Minamata Disease". This
suffering is all a result of the very wrongful and negligent acts
of the Chisso Corporation who dumped mercury into the sea water and
poisoned the people of Japan.
Unlike the Minamata disaster, where chemical compounds containing mercury were dumped, the mercury from shipwrecks is usually in metallic form. The metallic mercury can be sucked up together with the sand and sediments around a shipwreck. The mercury can then easily be separated with gravity filtering. Any gold and such contaminants could be separated at the same time and the clean sediments returned to the bottom of the oceans.
The cost of the cleanup should be carried by the owners of the shipwreck or the nation claiming ownership of the shipwreck.
Colombiapictures
Hero Member
102
MERCURY
(Data in metric tons of mercury content unless otherwise noted)1
Domestic Production and Use: Mercury has not been produced as a principal mineral commodity in the
United States since 1992, when the McDermitt Mine, in Humboldt County, NV, closed. In 2011, mercury
was recovered as a byproduct from processing gold-silver ore at several mines in Nevada; however,
these production data were not reported. Secondary, or recycled, mercury was recovered by retorting
end-of-use mercury-containing products that mainly included batteries, compact and traditional
fluorescent lamps, dental amalgam, medical devices, and thermostats, as well as
mercury-contaminated soils. The mercury was processed and refined for resale or exported. Secondary
mercury production data were not reported. Mercury use is not carefully tracked in the United
States; however, no more than 100 metric tons per year of mercury was consumed domestically. The
leading domestic end user of mercury was the chlorine-caustic soda industry. Owing to mercury
toxicity and concerns for the environment and human health, overall mercury use has declined in the
United States. Mercury has been released to the environment from mercury-containing car switches
when the automobile is scrapped for recycling, from coal-fired powerplant emissions, and from
incinerated mercury-containing medical devices. Mercury is no longer used in batteries and paints
manufactured in the United States. Mercury was imported, refined, and then exported for global use
in chlorine-caustic soda production, compact and traditional fluorescent lights, dental amalgam,
and neon lights; however, its primary use is for small-scale gold mining in many parts of the
world. Some button-type batteries, cleansers, fireworks, folk medicines, grandfather clocks,
pesticides, and some skin-lightening creams and soaps may contain mercury.
Salient Statistics—United States: 2007 2008
2009 2010 2011e
Production:
Mine (byproduct) NA NA
NA NA NA
Secondary NA NA
NA NA NA Imports for consumption (gross weight), metal
67 155 206 294 160
Exports (gross weight), metal 84 732
753 459 200
Price, average value, dollars per flask, free market2 530 600
600 1,076 1,950 Net import reliance3 as a percentage of
apparent consumption E E
E E E
Recycling: In 2011, six companies in the United States accounted for the majority of secondary
mercury recycling and production. Mercury-containing automobile convenience switches, barometers,
computers, dental amalgam, fluorescent lamps, medical devices, thermostats, and some
mercury-containing toys were collected by as many as 50 smaller companies and then the
mercury-containing materials were shipped to larger companies for retorting and reclamation of the
mercury. The increased use of nonmercury substitutes has resulted in a shrinking reservoir of
mercury-containing products for recycling.
Import Sources (2007–10): Peru, 50%; Chile, 37%; Germany, 7%; Canada, 4%; and other, 2%.
Tariff: Item Number Normal Trade
Relations 12-31-11
Mercury 2805.40.0000 1.7% ad val.
Depletion Allowance: 22% (Domestic), 14% (Foreign).
Government Stockpile: An inventory of 4,436 tons of mercury was held at several sites in the United
States; however, the Defense Logistics Agency, DLA Strategic Materials has indicated that
consolidated storage is preferred. An additional 1,329 tons of mercury was held by the U.S.
Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, TN. Sales of mercury from the National Defense Stockpile remained
suspended.
Stockpile Status—9-30-114
Uncommitted Authorized Disposal plan Disposals
Material inventory for disposal
FY 2011 FY 2011 Mercury 4,436
4,436 — —
Events, Trends, and Issues: The United States was a leading exporter of mercury in 2011, and the
principal export destinations included Canada, Guyana, and Vietnam. The average price of a flask of
domestic mercury was $1,950; however, by July, prices were reported in the $2,400-to-$2,600 range.
Mercury is used for small-scale gold mining in
Prepared by William E. Brooks [(703) 648-7791, wbrooks@usgs.gov]
MERCURY
103
many parts of the world and the price of gold, rising to slightly more than $1,800 per troy ounce
in September, has influenced the global demand for mercury. In Colombia, the price of mercury in
the small-scale gold mining areas may be as much as $100 per kilogram; therefore, a flask may be
worth as much $3,450. Mercury prices were also affected by the European Union mercury export ban
that took place in March, as well as the impending United States export ban that will take place in
2013. Diminishing supplies of mercury reclaimed from end-of-use, mercury-containing products, and
the availability of mercury from China and Kyrgyzstan also affected mercury prices.
Global consumption of mercury was estimated to be 2,000 tons per year, and approximately 50% of
this consumption came from the use of mercury compounds to make vinyl monomer in China and Eastern
Europe. Use of nonmercury technology for chloralkali production and the ultimate closure of the
world’s mercury-cell chloralkali plants may put a large quantity of mercury on the global market
for recycling, sale, or, owing to export bans in Europe and the United States, storage. Only 4
mercury cell chlorine-caustic soda plants were in use in the United States in 2011, compared with 5
in 2008, and 14 in 1996. The Federal Government was trying to find storage sites for the Nation’s
excess mercury, and seven States—Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, and
Washington—were being considered.
Byproduct mercury production is expected to continue from large-scale domestic and foreign
gold-silver mining and processing, as is secondary production of mercury from an ever-diminishing
supply of mercury-containing products, such as automobile convenience switches and thermostats.
However, the volume of byproduct mercury that enters the global supply from foreign gold-silver
processing may change dramatically from year to year; for example, mercury in Chile and Peru is
typically stockpiled until there is sufficient material for export. Mercury may also be recycled
from compact and traditional fluorescent lamps. Domestic mercury consumption will continue to
decline as nonmercury-containing products, such as digital thermometers, are substituted for those
containing mercury.
World Mine Production and Reserves:
Mine production Reserves5 2010 2011e
United States NA NA
—
Chile (byproduct) 176 100
NA
China 1,600 1,400
21,000
Kyrgyzstan 250 250
7,500
Mexico (reclaimed) 21 15
27,000
Peru (byproduct) 102 35
NA
Spain NA
NA NA Other countries
100 130 38,000 World total (rounded)
2,250 1,930 93,000
World Resources: China, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, and Ukraine have most of
the world’s estimated 600,000 tons of mercury resources. Mexico reclaims mercury from Spanish
Colonial silver mining waste. In Peru, mercury production from the Santa Barbara Mine
(Huancavelica) stopped in the 1990s; however, Peru continues to be an important source of byproduct
mercury imported into the United States. Spain, once a leading producer of mercury from its
centuries-old Almaden Mine, stopped mining in 2003. In the United States, there are mercury
occurrences in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Nevada, and Texas; however, mercury has not been mined
as a principal mineral commodity since 1992. The declining consumption of mercury, except for
small-scale gold mining, indicates that these resources are sufficient for another century or more
of use.
Substitutes: For aesthetic or human health concerns, natural-appearing ceramic composites
substitute for the dark- gray mercury-containing dental amalgam. “Galistan,” an alloy of gallium,
indium, and tin, or alternatively, digital thermometers, now replaces the mercury used in
traditional mercury thermometers. At chloralkali plants around the world, mercury-cell technology
is being replaced by newer diaphragm and membrane cell technology. Light-emitting diodes that
contain indium substitute for mercury-containing fluorescent lamps. Lithium, nickel-cadmium, and
zinc-air batteries replace mercury-zinc batteries in the United States; indium compounds substitute
for mercury in alkaline batteries; and organic compounds have been substituted for mercury
fungicides in latex paint.
eEstimated. E Net exporter. NA Not available. — Zero.
1Some international data and dealer prices are reported in flasks. One metric ton (1,000 kilograms)
= 29.0082 flasks, and 1 flask = 76 pounds, or
34.5 kilograms, or 0.035 ton.
2Platts Metals Week average mercury price quotation for the year. Actual prices may vary
significantly from quoted prices.
3Defined as imports – exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes.
4See Appendix B for definitions.
5See Appendix C for resource/reserve definitions and information concerning data sources.
U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2012
MERCURY
(Data in metric tons of mercury content unless otherwise noted)1
Domestic Production and Use: Mercury has not been produced as a principal mineral commodity in the
United States since 1992, when the McDermitt Mine, in Humboldt County, NV, closed. In 2011, mercury
was recovered as a byproduct from processing gold-silver ore at several mines in Nevada; however,
these production data were not reported. Secondary, or recycled, mercury was recovered by retorting
end-of-use mercury-containing products that mainly included batteries, compact and traditional
fluorescent lamps, dental amalgam, medical devices, and thermostats, as well as
mercury-contaminated soils. The mercury was processed and refined for resale or exported. Secondary
mercury production data were not reported. Mercury use is not carefully tracked in the United
States; however, no more than 100 metric tons per year of mercury was consumed domestically. The
leading domestic end user of mercury was the chlorine-caustic soda industry. Owing to mercury
toxicity and concerns for the environment and human health, overall mercury use has declined in the
United States. Mercury has been released to the environment from mercury-containing car switches
when the automobile is scrapped for recycling, from coal-fired powerplant emissions, and from
incinerated mercury-containing medical devices. Mercury is no longer used in batteries and paints
manufactured in the United States. Mercury was imported, refined, and then exported for global use
in chlorine-caustic soda production, compact and traditional fluorescent lights, dental amalgam,
and neon lights; however, its primary use is for small-scale gold mining in many parts of the
world. Some button-type batteries, cleansers, fireworks, folk medicines, grandfather clocks,
pesticides, and some skin-lightening creams and soaps may contain mercury.
Salient Statistics—United States: 2007 2008
2009 2010 2011e
Production:
Mine (byproduct) NA NA
NA NA NA
Secondary NA NA
NA NA NA Imports for consumption (gross weight), metal
67 155 206 294 160
Exports (gross weight), metal 84 732
753 459 200
Price, average value, dollars per flask, free market2 530 600
600 1,076 1,950 Net import reliance3 as a percentage of
apparent consumption E E
E E E
Recycling: In 2011, six companies in the United States accounted for the majority of secondary
mercury recycling and production. Mercury-containing automobile convenience switches, barometers,
computers, dental amalgam, fluorescent lamps, medical devices, thermostats, and some
mercury-containing toys were collected by as many as 50 smaller companies and then the
mercury-containing materials were shipped to larger companies for retorting and reclamation of the
mercury. The increased use of nonmercury substitutes has resulted in a shrinking reservoir of
mercury-containing products for recycling.
Import Sources (2007–10): Peru, 50%; Chile, 37%; Germany, 7%; Canada, 4%; and other, 2%.
Tariff: Item Number Normal Trade
Relations 12-31-11
Mercury 2805.40.0000 1.7% ad val.
Depletion Allowance: 22% (Domestic), 14% (Foreign).
Government Stockpile: An inventory of 4,436 tons of mercury was held at several sites in the United
States; however, the Defense Logistics Agency, DLA Strategic Materials has indicated that
consolidated storage is preferred. An additional 1,329 tons of mercury was held by the U.S.
Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, TN. Sales of mercury from the National Defense Stockpile remained
suspended.
Stockpile Status—9-30-114
Uncommitted Authorized Disposal plan Disposals
Material inventory for disposal
FY 2011 FY 2011 Mercury 4,436
4,436 — —
Events, Trends, and Issues: The United States was a leading exporter of mercury in 2011, and the
principal export destinations included Canada, Guyana, and Vietnam. The average price of a flask of
domestic mercury was $1,950; however, by July, prices were reported in the $2,400-to-$2,600 range.
Mercury is used for small-scale gold mining in
Prepared by William E. Brooks [(703) 648-7791, wbrooks@usgs.gov]
MERCURY
103
many parts of the world and the price of gold, rising to slightly more than $1,800 per troy ounce
in September, has influenced the global demand for mercury. In Colombia, the price of mercury in
the small-scale gold mining areas may be as much as $100 per kilogram; therefore, a flask may be
worth as much $3,450. Mercury prices were also affected by the European Union mercury export ban
that took place in March, as well as the impending United States export ban that will take place in
2013. Diminishing supplies of mercury reclaimed from end-of-use, mercury-containing products, and
the availability of mercury from China and Kyrgyzstan also affected mercury prices.
Global consumption of mercury was estimated to be 2,000 tons per year, and approximately 50% of
this consumption came from the use of mercury compounds to make vinyl monomer in China and Eastern
Europe. Use of nonmercury technology for chloralkali production and the ultimate closure of the
world’s mercury-cell chloralkali plants may put a large quantity of mercury on the global market
for recycling, sale, or, owing to export bans in Europe and the United States, storage. Only 4
mercury cell chlorine-caustic soda plants were in use in the United States in 2011, compared with 5
in 2008, and 14 in 1996. The Federal Government was trying to find storage sites for the Nation’s
excess mercury, and seven States—Colorado, Idaho, Missouri, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas, and
Washington—were being considered.
Byproduct mercury production is expected to continue from large-scale domestic and foreign
gold-silver mining and processing, as is secondary production of mercury from an ever-diminishing
supply of mercury-containing products, such as automobile convenience switches and thermostats.
However, the volume of byproduct mercury that enters the global supply from foreign gold-silver
processing may change dramatically from year to year; for example, mercury in Chile and Peru is
typically stockpiled until there is sufficient material for export. Mercury may also be recycled
from compact and traditional fluorescent lamps. Domestic mercury consumption will continue to
decline as nonmercury-containing products, such as digital thermometers, are substituted for those
containing mercury.
World Mine Production and Reserves:
Mine production Reserves5 2010 2011e
United States NA NA
—
Chile (byproduct) 176 100
NA
China 1,600 1,400
21,000
Kyrgyzstan 250 250
7,500
Mexico (reclaimed) 21 15
27,000
Peru (byproduct) 102 35
NA
Spain NA
NA NA Other countries
100 130 38,000 World total (rounded)
2,250 1,930 93,000
World Resources: China, Kyrgyzstan, Mexico, Peru, Russia, Slovenia, Spain, and Ukraine have most of
the world’s estimated 600,000 tons of mercury resources. Mexico reclaims mercury from Spanish
Colonial silver mining waste. In Peru, mercury production from the Santa Barbara Mine
(Huancavelica) stopped in the 1990s; however, Peru continues to be an important source of byproduct
mercury imported into the United States. Spain, once a leading producer of mercury from its
centuries-old Almaden Mine, stopped mining in 2003. In the United States, there are mercury
occurrences in Alaska, Arkansas, California, Nevada, and Texas; however, mercury has not been mined
as a principal mineral commodity since 1992. The declining consumption of mercury, except for
small-scale gold mining, indicates that these resources are sufficient for another century or more
of use.
Substitutes: For aesthetic or human health concerns, natural-appearing ceramic composites
substitute for the dark- gray mercury-containing dental amalgam. “Galistan,” an alloy of gallium,
indium, and tin, or alternatively, digital thermometers, now replaces the mercury used in
traditional mercury thermometers. At chloralkali plants around the world, mercury-cell technology
is being replaced by newer diaphragm and membrane cell technology. Light-emitting diodes that
contain indium substitute for mercury-containing fluorescent lamps. Lithium, nickel-cadmium, and
zinc-air batteries replace mercury-zinc batteries in the United States; indium compounds substitute
for mercury in alkaline batteries; and organic compounds have been substituted for mercury
fungicides in latex paint.
eEstimated. E Net exporter. NA Not available. — Zero.
1Some international data and dealer prices are reported in flasks. One metric ton (1,000 kilograms)
= 29.0082 flasks, and 1 flask = 76 pounds, or
34.5 kilograms, or 0.035 ton.
2Platts Metals Week average mercury price quotation for the year. Actual prices may vary
significantly from quoted prices.
3Defined as imports – exports + adjustments for Government and industry stock changes.
4See Appendix B for definitions.
5See Appendix C for resource/reserve definitions and information concerning data sources.
U.S. Geological Survey, Mineral Commodity Summaries, January 2012
Colombiapictures
Hero Member
Colombiapictures
Hero Member
The FUGGERS, banker family, was in control of the Spanish mercury trade in the 16th century. Although the family is now extinct, most of the extensive FUGGER archives are still intact. There is probably information about hundreds of ships that sank, carrying mercury, in these archives.
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Having spent almost all my working life as a trainer of greyhounds and bird dogs (along with a number of side gigs) I note that all dog thermometers are rectal. The military coffee was probably enough to cover the taste, kill the fecal bacteria and contain the tiny bit of mercury that might have been dissolved into it.
Vet school joke for first year students: Q- How do you tell the difference between an oral and rectal thermometer? A- The taste! <rimshot>
Wasn't there at least one U-Boat carrying mercury sunk and then recovered off Norway? It also sticks in my mind that mercury was used as ballast for some reason at one time or another.
SADS 669
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- #31
Thread Owner
Ropes, as usual your post is well " up to standard!"
Bobadilla
Sr. Member
Well, going back to the original question of this post - let's make a list of the known shipwrecks which had some substantial amount of mercury on board when they sank.
I know positively about two shipwrecks in the Dominican Republic - "Conde de Tolosa" and "Nuestra Senora de Guadaloupe". They sank in shallow waters on the northern coast of the island in 1724. "Tolosa" had 150 tons of mercury on board and "Guadaloupe" 250 tons of mercury on board when they went down in the storm. The mercury was stored in small barrels, three of them in one wooden case and each barrel was still wrapped in sheep skin.
As you correctly stated, many Spanish ships had some amount mercury on board, because it was a need in separating gold and silver in the mines in the New World. So there must be much more of them scattered on the sea bed especially in the Caribbean.
Regards,
Lobo
I know positively about two shipwrecks in the Dominican Republic - "Conde de Tolosa" and "Nuestra Senora de Guadaloupe". They sank in shallow waters on the northern coast of the island in 1724. "Tolosa" had 150 tons of mercury on board and "Guadaloupe" 250 tons of mercury on board when they went down in the storm. The mercury was stored in small barrels, three of them in one wooden case and each barrel was still wrapped in sheep skin.
As you correctly stated, many Spanish ships had some amount mercury on board, because it was a need in separating gold and silver in the mines in the New World. So there must be much more of them scattered on the sea bed especially in the Caribbean.
Regards,
Lobo
SADS 669
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- #33
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Can anyone suggest the best way of collating this, should we have an i cloud ( as TD suggested for crowdsourcing?) or something like that to post wrecks.
For security maybe PM one person, Old Man perhaps as he's in the USA.
Now approximate wreck locations are coming in, the next phase, whatever that is, should begin, over to you experts on that one
For security maybe PM one person, Old Man perhaps as he's in the USA.
Now approximate wreck locations are coming in, the next phase, whatever that is, should begin, over to you experts on that one
old man
Bronze Member
Lobo, great post. Do you know if there is any mercury left on those ships? I know Tracy salvaged some of it.
Do you think the DR government would allow an environmental clean up of those wrecks?
Bobadilla
Sr. Member
Hello Old Man,
Yes, I know that in Tolosa the bigger part of mercury is still there, though Capt. Tracy Bowden took out around 2,000 pounds of it. The rests of Tolosa are dispersed, so mercury would be easier to recover, of course in professional way, and take out of the water. The case of Guadaloupe is far more difficult, because the ship is buried several meters below the sand. The ship was carrying not only 250 tons of mercury, but also fittings for the building of two other new galleons, 84 bronze cannons and cases of heavy tools. Because of this extreme weight, Guadaloupe went quickly under the sandy bottom and she is still practically intact there and upright. The only galleon wreck in the world that is still completely intact. There is even part of the mast there.
We have been diving on these wrecks with the commission from the Ministry of Environment. We are in the negotiations with the DR government for the last couple of months to get the permit for the environmental cleaning of these wrecks and in spite of the typical endless paper work in the state institutions I could say we are very close to get it.
Regards,
Lobo
Yes, I know that in Tolosa the bigger part of mercury is still there, though Capt. Tracy Bowden took out around 2,000 pounds of it. The rests of Tolosa are dispersed, so mercury would be easier to recover, of course in professional way, and take out of the water. The case of Guadaloupe is far more difficult, because the ship is buried several meters below the sand. The ship was carrying not only 250 tons of mercury, but also fittings for the building of two other new galleons, 84 bronze cannons and cases of heavy tools. Because of this extreme weight, Guadaloupe went quickly under the sandy bottom and she is still practically intact there and upright. The only galleon wreck in the world that is still completely intact. There is even part of the mast there.
We have been diving on these wrecks with the commission from the Ministry of Environment. We are in the negotiations with the DR government for the last couple of months to get the permit for the environmental cleaning of these wrecks and in spite of the typical endless paper work in the state institutions I could say we are very close to get it.
Regards,
Lobo
Colombiapictures
Hero Member
Excellent, so with the galleon "Guadalupe" we have a Spanish galleon that represents an immense historical and archaeological value. A dream shipwreck for any archaeologist. There is also a real need for the site to be excavated because of the constant and ongoing mercury contamination.
The DR is a country that makes a lot of it's income from tourism. If setup in the right way, the "Guadalupe can greatly enhance tourism. Tourism generates jobs for the local population.
Now, the questions:
How much will it cost to excavate the shipwreck and to clean up the environmental contamination?
Who is going to pay for the cost?
Are there any ways to generate revenue out of this, so that this revenue can help defraying the cost?
timemachine
Full Member
My faith in humanity is humbly restored as you folks have embarked on this endeavour. It's a noble cause and worth pursuing. I fear the only mercury I will locate will be buried silver dimes 
old man
Bronze Member
Lobo, I have been in contact with an environmental diving company that is interested in cleaning up the mercury and contaminated sand at no cost to the DR.
If you are interested in working with them, if you get the permit. I will put them in contact with you.
You can assure the DR Government, that this group is not interested in treasure hunting or keeping artifacts.
Old Man
Bobadilla
Sr. Member
Old Man,
Thanks for your offer, but one foreign company, I can say, highly qualified, is after this permit for many months already. Though the environmental issue should be definitely the most important, there is still also historical heritage problem. Whatever and however you want to do the job, you will have to take out the artifacts from the shipwreck, and there are hundreds of them still inside the "Guadaloupe". I also fully agree with you that it would highly enhance the tourism industry not only in the whole area, but in the whole country, but sometimes certain people are blind.... Anyway, I will keep you informed.
Also, we know that recently there was huge outbreak of mercury from some sunken Spanish galleon in Haiti.
Regards,
Lobo
Thanks for your offer, but one foreign company, I can say, highly qualified, is after this permit for many months already. Though the environmental issue should be definitely the most important, there is still also historical heritage problem. Whatever and however you want to do the job, you will have to take out the artifacts from the shipwreck, and there are hundreds of them still inside the "Guadaloupe". I also fully agree with you that it would highly enhance the tourism industry not only in the whole area, but in the whole country, but sometimes certain people are blind.... Anyway, I will keep you informed.
Also, we know that recently there was huge outbreak of mercury from some sunken Spanish galleon in Haiti.
Regards,
Lobo
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