India’s recently-formed Green Tribunal has shown some teeth. It’s ordered the suspension of the environmental clearance, granted just over a year ago, to the country’s biggest proposed industrial project, declaring the earlier process to have …
Read more
Lawyer prepares silicosis class action suit against top South Africa miners
Nearly 7,000 plaintiffs from South Africa and Lesotho have so far signed up to a class action suit against four South African gold companies, claiming they were responsible for the workers having contracted deadly silicosis. …
Read more
UN Human Rights Council establishes an Independent Expert on Human Rights and the Environment
CIEL and Earthjustice, working closely with Maldives, Costa Rica and Switzerland, obtained from the UN Human Rights Council a resolution on Human Rights & Environment that establishes an Independent Expert on Human Rights and the …
Read more
Australia passes controversial mining tax into law
The Australian Senate has pushed through into law a 30% tax on iron ore and coal mining companies. The tax will raise A$10.6bn ($11.2bn, £7bn) over three years from major companies including BHP Billiton, Rio …
Read more
Will global miners buckle down to tougher government demands?
Earlier this month, the Indonesian government proposed new legislation, aimed at increasing domestic ownership and revenue from foreign-based mining operations. Last year, Ernst & Young also identified at least 25 countries that have increased, or …
Read more
Philippines: Indigenous Peoples point the way on mining
Indigenous Peoples in the Philippines, as well as the Catholic Church and other organisations, continue to oppose large scale mining projects, including Xstrata’s Tampakan project.
Massive mining expansion in Colombia
Among London-listed mining companies operating in Colombia are Anglo American, AngloGold Ashanti, BHP Billiton, Glencore and Xstrata; and Rio Tinto is also interested in the country.
Government designates 2.9 million hectares for mining development …
Read more
Miners fight new fees structure in Zimbabwe
Sometimes, it seems a goverment just can’t win. In order to increase income, Zimababwe proposes to hike mining fees – and that’s inevitably upset the industry, which says it will make their businesses unviable. At …
Read more
Indian Environment Minister to review Vedanta clearances
Ramesh to review Posco, Vedanta clearances
Controversy-prone Indian minister for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh has now decided to review the forest clearances granted to Posco and Vedanta Resources. Both the giant Korean firm (Pohang …
Read more
US legal decision may have implications for mining companies
A legal decision against an oil multinational may have future implications for mining companies implicated in human rights abuses.
In the case of Wiwa v Shell, a US judge has denied Shell’s motion to dismiss …
Read more