The exploitation of copper in the mines of Roșia Poieni, in the Romanian Western Carpathian Mountains (Apuseni), Romania, was like a curse for the inhabitants of the two villages located at the foot of the mountains where digging works were carried out. Their ordeal began in 1977 when the communist dictator of Romania Nicolae Ceaușescu decided to exploit the huge copper deposit discovered in the ground. The government forced residents of the nearby village of Geamăna to leave their homes and abandon their way of life to make room for toxic waste from the Roșia Poieni mining pit.
About 400 families were evacuated and their villages were replaced by an artificial lake which served as a sort of “mains drain” for the contaminated mud that flowed from the mine. The waters of the lake are very toxic and contaminated with cyanide and other chemical substances. As the lake has widened, it has engulfed what was once a charming village, of which only the church tower and a few houses remain, which can be seen protruding from these colored (or discolored) waters.
Not very joyful or fun to read, but the color of the waters and the landscape that surrounds this lake are a good excuse to come and take some pictures. For those who want to get there, Lake Geamăna is only a 1h45 drive from Cluj-Napoca.
