Mongolia, the land of Genghis Khan and nomadic herders, is in the midst of a remarkable transition. Rich in coal, gold and copper, this country of fewer than 3 million people in Central Asia is …
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Mineral-Rich Mongolia Rapidly Becoming ‘Mine-golia’
VIDEO: Embera indigenous people say ‘no’ to Rio Tinto associate in Colombia
Careperro Mountain (“Haykatumá in the indigenous Embera language,) is one of the most sacred and important sites for the Embera culture. Beneath this mountain, lies gold, copper and other minerals. London-listed Rio Tinto is associated …
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Protests threaten energy-hungry miners in Chile
Residents close to a proposed new coal-fired power plant in Chile’s Atacama desert region claim its emissions will harm air quality. They also say the temperature of water, released back into the ocean, will impact …
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London Calling muses on the future of Mining’s Giants
Two of the world’s three biggest mining companies – BHP Billiton and Rio Tinto – are currently “dialing down their risks and the pace of their previous dash for growth”. This is in order that …
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Xstrata pressed on record in Peru and Colombia
Representatives of communities affected by Xstrata’s operations in the Espinar region of Peru attended the massive London-listed mining company’s AGM in Switzerland on Tuesday 1 May. They called for compensation and a solution to the …
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Bougainville Copper’s bloody “hidden past” exposed: Rio Tinto must address abuse claims, says criminologist
Debate continues raging over the role played by Rio Tinto’s subsidiary Bougainville Copper Ltd (BCL) in the decade-long war waged by Papua New Guinea “security” forces on the people of Bougainville from 1988 onwards.
One …
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Newmont Mining accused of multiple failures by shareholders
Critical shareholders took the world’s second biggest dedicated gold producer to task at its annual general meeting last week. They claimed the company had not implemented various promises to be “socially responsible”. Moreover, its failure …
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London2012: an Olympian exercise in corporate greenwashing
Amidst its lofty rhetoric about excellence and sustainability the London Olympics have chosen some of the world’s most unethical companies as corporate sponsors. Phil England presents powerful first-hand testimonies from victims and campaigners dismayed and …
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Vedanta’s PR Campaign Backfires in India
On a recent visit to Bhubaneswar, the capital of the large eastern state of Odisha, I found the airport plastered with advertisements and slogans expressing the nurturing, socially conscious side — caring for the poor, …
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Peru’s Highest Court Sides With Central Government In Conga Case
Peru’s highest court has declared that the left-wing regional government of Cajamarca overstepped its bounds when it recently rejected the country’s biggest proposed mining project. However, a team of environmental auditors has criticised the existing …
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