Twenty-five years after a devastating toxic spill near Spain's Doñana National Park, the Andalusian regional government is pursuing $98 million in damages from the Swedish mining company, Boliden. The spill, originating from the Los Frailes Aznalcóllar mine in 1998, released an estimated 1.3 billion gallons of acidic wastewater into the Guadiamar River. While emergency measures prevented the contamination from reaching the nearby Doñana National Park, the surrounding area suffered significant ecological damage, with widespread heavy metal contamination and the death of numerous fish and birds.

The civil trial, commencing this week, will examine the events surrounding the reservoir wall burst and assess Boliden's liability. The regional government contends that Boliden bears responsibility for the environmental consequences of the spill. Boliden, however, maintains that it had received authorization to expand the reservoir's capacity and subsequently undertook a voluntary cleanup effort costing approximately 80 million euros. The company's spokesperson, Klas Nilsson, emphasized that the cleanup restored the affected area to a condition exceeding its pre-spill state and highlighted that Doñana National Park remained untouched.

Environmental workers collect dead fish near Doñana National Park after the 1998 mine spill. (AP Photo/Jaro Munoz, File)

This legal battle reopens a long-standing dispute over the Aznalcóllar mine disaster. A prior criminal case against Boliden was dismissed in 2001, with the court finding the company not criminally liable. The current trial is expected to conclude in mid-July. The Doñana National Park, a vital habitat for migratory birds and endangered species, continues to face environmental pressures, including recent concerns about water management practices in the surrounding agricultural lands.

While the mine has been closed since 2001, a Mexican company has recently expressed interest in reopening the site, adding another layer of complexity to the ongoing environmental and legal challenges.