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Anglo American disrespecting rule of law, FTC president says – Chile

Richard — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:05:33 +0000

London-based Anglo American is disrespecting the rule of law when criticizing the Chilean attorney general office’s criminal investigation into the sale of a 24.5% stake in its assets in central Chile, state copper producer Codelco’s copper workers federation (FTC) president and Codelco director Raimundo Espinoza told BNamericas.

“It is completely inappropriate for criminal proceedings to be considered against any individuals in this contractual dispute between two companies, particularly when initiated by a Codelco board member,” Anglo American’s CEO Cynthia Carroll said in a written statement on January 26.

“By saying that, Mrs Carroll is absolutely disrespecting the rule of law in the country, as the decision to conduct the criminal investigation into the contract between Anglo American and Mitsubishi was made by an independent body of Chile’s legal system,” Espinoza said.

See http://www.bnamericas.com/news/mining/anglo-american-disrespecting-rule-of-law-ftc-president-says1.

ICVL ties up with London-based company Anglo American for scouting coal assets

Richard — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:46:38 +0000

International Coal Ventures, a consortium of Indian state-run entities created to acquire coal assets abroad, has formed a strategic tie-up with Anglo American, a global leader in mining, for scouting for coking coal properties globally.

See http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2012-01-17/news/30635866_1_icvl-coking-coal-international-coal-ventures.

Court orders Anglo American to reveal contract with Mitsubishi

Richard — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 18:45:49 +0000

A Chilean court has ordered London-based Anglo American to reveal the contract under which it sold a 24.5% stake in its central Chile assets to Japan’s Mitsubishi. The court order follows a legal action filed by state copper producer Codelco aimed at gathering information to prepare a lawsuit requesting that the contract between Anglo and Mitsubishi be declared null and void.

See http://www.bnamericas.com/news/mining/court-orders-anglo-american-to-reveal-contract-with-mitsubishi1/283895013.

Anglo American sues Codelco over breach of contract

Richard — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 16:21:44 +0000

Anglo American said on 22 December that it had filed a writ with Santiago’s Court of Appeals, suing the Chilean firm for breach of contract in a dispute over its south Chilean assets.

Codelco, the National Copper Corporation of Chile, took umbrage last month when Anglo announced it had sold 24.5% of its Chilean copper assets to Mitsubishi Corporation for US$5.39 billion.

The move by Anglo pre-empted Codelco’s option to acquire a 49% stake in Anglo American Sur SA (AAS) in January 2012 for what was to be a significantly lower price relative to what Mitsubishi paid.

See http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page72068?oid=142166&sn=Detail&pid=92730.

Statement by communities affected by mining in La Guajira, Colombia

Richard — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:44:43 +0000

A gathering of communities was held in late November and a strong statement isued about the damge done by mining in La Guajira – including by Cerrejon Coal, owned by London-listed Anglo American, BHP Billiton and Xstrata.

See http://xa.yimg.com/kq/groups/10539469/613361253/name/111120+Guajira+communities++statement+-+English+version.pdf.

Colombia’s mining boom overshadowed by human rights violations

Richard — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:43:43 +0000

A report by Peace Brigades International (PBI) declares that Colombia’s current mining boom is overshadowed by human rights violations and mass displacement of residents in mining areas. “80% of the human rights violations that have occurred in Colombia in the last ten years were committed in mining and energy-producing regions, and 87% of Colombia’s displaced population originate from these places,” says the report published by the international human rights organisation last week.

Among London-listed mining companies active in Colombia are Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, BHP Billiton, Glencore, Rio Tinto and Xstrata.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11381&l=1.

Sick miners want Anglo American to pay up

Richard — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:33:21 +0000

Mongezi Mponco left his village of grassland hills as one of hundreds of thousands of healthy young black men who poured into the deep underground of South Africa’s gold mines.

The 54-year-old continued working when diagnosed with early incurable lung disease until he was fired after 30 years, in a story traced on thumb-worn papers kept in his home off a rutted dirt road in the Eastern Cape.

“Thank you for your loyal service and all the best,” advised the termination letter to the father of six who has certified silicosis scarring of the lungs.

But the best has not materialised for Mponco and hundreds of other former mineworkers who now want mining giant Anglo American to pay up for exposing them to dangerous dust levels.

The London-listed firm’s South African subsidiary is being sued on two continents in cases that could run into millions of rands in damages.

See http://mg.co.za/article/2011-12-11-sick-miners-want-anglo-american-to-pay-up.

Diamond houses keep fingers crossed after change of guard at De Beers

Richard — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:27:20 +0000

For decades, a quaint practice marks the secretive world of diamond trade. Every five weeks, elite diamond houses from all over the world assemble in a room in London, and behind the closed doors, each one of them is given a small box of rough stones by De Beers – the cartel known for its formidable clout and control on the supply of roughs. Every box contains a mix of good and not-so-good stones. The buyers quietly pick the boxes and take flights back to Mumbai or Antwerp, where the stones are cut and polished by skilled craftsmen. No questions are asked. No one has a choice.

But the visits to London will soon come to an end. A year from now, the diamond houses will have to send their men to Botswana – the African country that in the coming years may call the shots in the business.

See http://articles.economictimes.indiatimes.com/2011-12-13/news/30511747_1_roughs-diamond-auctions-diamond-trading.

(De Beers is controlled by Anglo American plc.)

Anglo American to focus investments in Brazil, CEO says

Richard — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:25:45 +0000

London-based resource group Anglo American will focus its future investments in Brazil, CEO Cynthia Carroll told reporters during the inauguration of the Barro Alto nickel plant in Goiás state on December 6.

See http://www.bnamericas.com/news/mining/anglo-american-to-focus-investments-in-nation-ceo-says/277692669.…
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Anglo American OKs $1.7 billion Queensland project to triple its Australia met coal output

Richard — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:25:03 +0000

Anglo American has said its board has approved the $1.7 billion Grosvenor metallurgical coal project in Queensland, Australia, which is expected to produce five million tonnes per year over a projected life of 26 years. The London-based diversified miner said it plans to triple production of met coal in Australia over the next 8 years.

See http://www.mining.com/2011/12/06/anglo-american-oks-1-7-billion-queensland-project-to-triple-its-australia-met-coal-output/

Collahuasi withdraws EIS for US$173mn water transfer project

Richard — Sat, 17 Dec 2011 15:24:21 +0000

Chilean miner Collahuasi has withdrawn an environmental impact study (EIS) submitted on November 18 for a US$173mn water transfer system to supply its expansion project in Chile’s northern region I.

The EIS was undergoing the admissibility test and was expected to be rejected after failing to comply with certain formal requirements.

Collahuasi is jointly controlled by London-listed Xstrata and Anglo American, each with a 44% stake, while the remainder belongs to a group of Japanese companies led by Mitsui.

See http://www.bnamericas.com/news/mining/collahuasi-withdraws-eis-for-us173mn-water-transfer-project/277296304.

Xstrata under fire on three continents

Richard — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 09:31:10 +0000

Protesters storm Xstrata’s London HQ

Protesters’ account and comments at N30, corporate greed, Xstrata and the right to protest, http://occupylsx.org/?p=1755.

Cerrejon adopts human rights policy

Richard — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:34:36 +0000

Cerrejon Coal, a joint venture of London-listed Anglo American, BHP Billiton and Xstrata, has adopted a human rights policy. It remains to be seen how closely the company will live up to it. If it does so, communities around the mine would benefit.

See http://www.cerrejon.com/site/Portals/1/Documents/pdf/policies/Cerrejon-%20Human%20Rights%20Policy.pdf.

For background, see articles at http://londonminingnetwork.org/?s=cerrejon.

If you live in the UK, PLEASE URGE YOUR MP TO SIGN EARLY DAY MOTION 2396 ON CERREJON. See http://londonminingnetwork.org/2011/11/please-urge-your-mp-to-sign-early-day-motion-2396-on-cerrejon-coal/.

South Africa’s gold miners denied access to silicosis checks

Richard — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:33:21 +0000

A lawyer for hundreds of former South African gold miners has accused their ex-employers of failing to provide access to regular check-ups for silicosis, an incurable lung disease caused by inhaling dust.

Richard Meeran of London law firm Leigh Day said thousands of miners in South Africa’s impoverished Eastern Cape province had missed out on compensation because they had been denied access to free, two-yearly tests, in contravention of South African laws protecting the rights of ex-miners.

He is already representing 700 silicosis-afflicted miners, most of them from the Eastern Cape, in a suit in London seeking “billions of rand” in compensation from London-based mining giant Anglo American.

Anglo American South Africa, the wholly owned entity being sued by the miners, was one of the world’s largest gold miners through much of the 20th century.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11318.

Mining’s toxic sludge threatens Johannesburg

Richard — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 18:27:48 +0000

Thousands of people face evacuation from greater Johannesburg in the Gauteng province – the economic heartland of South Africa – due to toxic sludge from abandoned gold mines laced with high radiation levels.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11315.

Among companies which have mined for gold in South Africa over many years are London-listed Anglo American and AngloGold Ashanti. It is unclear whether any of their former operations are implicated.