Hungary is seeking more than US$100M in damages from the owners of a Romanian gold mine, which spilled cyanide laced tailings into the Tisza river in 1999. The tailings dam collapse at the Aurul gold mine, which caused some of the worst river pollution in Europe, was attributed to a faulty design and wet weather resulting in the overflow of the toxic sludge. The mine is owned by Esmeralda Enterprises — an Australian mining company — and the Romanian government. Esmeralda has already gone into liquidation.