What’s in store for Australian mining with the fall of the House of Rudd?
A precarious peace pact has been struck between the Australian mining lobbies and the Federal Government following the sudden departure of …
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Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton and allies strike pact with new Australian PM
Vedanta going ahead with Orissa project: Anil Agarwal
London-listed mining giant Vedanta’s proposed bauxite mine in Orissa’s Niyamgiri Hills has sparked protests in India and abroad. The environmental ministry, reacting to reports that the mining will impact the livelihood and traditions of the …
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US claims to have identified vast mineral riches in Afghanistan
But a cloud of suspicion falls over its announcement
A “perfect storm” of mining-related conflict could be brewing in Afghanistan, if a recent report in the New York Times is to be credited. The newspaper …
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Guatemala says to suspend Goldcorp’s Marlin mine
The Guatemalan government said it would suspend operations at Goldcorp Inc’s Marlin mine due to allegations the facility was contaminating water supplies. The government said in a statement it would act to comply with the …
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Philippine province bans open-pit mining – affects Xstrata
The governor of the Philippine province of South Cotabato – where large-scale mining was formerly given high priority – has introduced legislation to ban it, thus joining provinces in Marinduque, Mindoro and Palawan. The government’s …
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News from Bougainville – affects Rio Tinto
Abandoned Bougainville mine still an environmental headache
Rio Tinto’s subsidiary, Bougainville Copper Ltd (BCL) is on record as wanting to return to the eponymous Pacific island, and re-open one of the most conflict-ridden mines in …
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Rio gets go-ahead for $542M mine; mining opponent convicted of trespass on public land
According to an article in Mining News (http://www.miningnews.net/StoryView.asp?StoryID=1136802) Rio Tinto will begin construction of the $US469 million ($A542 million) Kennecott Eagle nickel-copper mine in Michigan after receiving environmental approval.
A local commentator says:…
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Vanuatu wants International Court to decide on West Papua
Vanuatu’s parliament has unanimously passed a motion calling for the International Court of Justice to investigate the the legality of West Papua becoming part of Indonesia. The motion was jointly sponsored by prime minister Edward …
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Nuclear news
Apocalypse Now and Next: From Gulf Spill to Nuke Disaster
We just ignited a disaster beyond our technical control. Why are we on the brink of doing it again? Like Deepwater Horizon and Fermi, these …
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New UK study says that Anglo American and RioTinto are “seeking to reduce” water usage
African nations led by Somalia, Mauritania and Sudan have the most precarious water supplies in the world while Iceland has the best, according to a survey that aims to alert companies to investment risks.
The …
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Nickel: A breakthrough in China, another blow for many others
A potentially highly significant “development” has just been announced in China.
At first sight, it relates only to changes in methods of refining nickel, primarily in the manufacture of stainless steel. But, if verified, the …
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