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Australia passes controversial mining tax into law

michaela — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 21:14:17 +0000

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 Tinto and Xstrata.

See http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-17441170.

See also: Court threats loom as Australia’s mining tax passed http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hymTU1FJTqrQfMtQ0z2PXP2IzOygdocId=CNG.9fd2e1098c02c3cc04099ac8d7f2e9e9.11.

Will global miners buckle down to tougher government demands?

michaela — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 20:34:50 +0000

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 plan to raise, their governments’ income via taxes or royalties. Does this mean mining companies are now ready and willing to play by some “new rules”? Whatever they may say now, it may take only another run on mineral prices and profits for their current “reasonableness” to turn sour.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11567.

Indian Environment Minister to review Vedanta clearances

Richard — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:24:33 +0000

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 Steel Company) and the UK-based Vedanta Resources have been pressing to start mining operations in Orissa. Their efforts have been stalled by protests launched on the ground by different indigenous tribal groups. Mr Ramesh has however decided to take the bull by the horns and stated categorically in a recent press interaction, “No mining or construction can start till such time as both Posco and Vedanta receive stage two clearances which the government has not granted so far. They have violated the guidelines under the Forest Conservation Act.”

The minister said, “No project will be allowed in tribal areas without rights of tribals being first settled in forest areas. This has not happened in the Niyamgiri areas,” which are home to the Dongria Kondh tribes.

See http://epaper.asianage.com/Asian/AAge/2010/02/28/ArticleHtmls/28_02_2010_003_011.shtml.

Deadly conflict over mining laws in Peru

Richard — Tue, 30 Jun 2009 15:11:03 +0000

Marijke Deleu and Thomas Quirynen from LMN member group CATAPA were caught up in the brutal police response to recent Indigenous protests over laws opening the Peruvian Amazon region to mining, oil and timber development. Survival International has published their report, ‘Death at Devil’s Bend: an eyewitness account’, which provides a dramatic narrative of the day’s events, which ended with a large number of people, both police officers and indigenous protesters, dead. Read the report at http://www.survival-international.org/news/4687. See also http://www.catapa.be/en/news/369.

The President of Peru’s Amazon Indian organisation AIDESEP was forced into exile. Alberto Pizango sought refuge in the Nicaraguan embassy in Peru’s capital Lima after a warrant was issued for his arrest. Nicaragua granted him asylum. Pizango was charged with ‘sedition, conspiracy and rebellion’. See http://www.survival-international.org/news/4650?utm_source=E-news+(English)&utm_campaign=501c55f142-Enews_Special_Peru_Protests6_10_2009&utm_medium=email.

Peru’s President Alan Garcia has now acknowledged that he made ‘errors’ in his bid to open the area to extractives industries. Peru’s Congress has voted to revoke the two laws which led to the conflict. See http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/world/la-fg-peru-amazon19-2009jun19,0,7934644.story.