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Finnish Mining Boom Prompts Regulation Backlash on Polluters

Richard — Wed, 23 May 2012 16:49:48 +0000

A UK mining company, Talvivaara Mining Co, has been charged with allowing unacceptably high toxic emissions from a mine in central Finland.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11715.

Tribe Appeals To United Nations Over Rio Tinto Mine in Michigan

Richard — Fri, 04 May 2012 19:06:53 +0000

A tribe in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA, is appealing to the United Nations in an effort to restrain sulphide mining.

The tribe hopes to strengthen its position through an international agreement signed by the Obama Administration. The Keweenaw Bay Indian Community says mines that produce sulphuric acid can pollute the water and threaten places sacred to tribes in the Great Lakes.

The Keweenaw tribe fought Rio Tinto subsidiary Kennecott’s Eagle Mine, a new copper and nickel mine under construction in Marquette County.

See http://ipr.interlochen.org/ipr-news-features/episode/tribes-appeal-united-nations-over-mines/2012-05-02.

Action: Tell the United States Congress and President Barack Obama: Pass a moratorium to stop sulfide mining in the Great Lakes watershed!

Sign the petition at http://www.change.org/petitions/the-united-states-congress-and-president-barack-obama-pass-a-moratorium-to-stop-sulfide-mining-in-the-great-lakes-watershed?utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition&utm_term=autopublish#.

Visitors demand justice from Rio Tinto

Richard — Tue, 17 Apr 2012 09:16:45 +0000

Women from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the USA have travelled to London to ask Rio Tinto to monitor air quality at its controversial Eagle Mine. The women will be attending Rio Tinto’s AGM in London on Thursday 19 April.

See http://lakesuperiorminingnews.net/2012/04/15/locals-travel-to-london-to-ask-rio-tinto-for-air-monitoring/.

Mining boom in Michigan: economic boost or environmental nuisance?

michaela — Thu, 05 Apr 2012 10:18:18 +0000

Demand for metals on the world market is prompting a mining boom in Michigan’s rural Upper Peninsula, where jobs are scarce. But possible environmental damage to forests, lakes, and rivers alarms some locals. One of the companies causing concern is Rio Tinto subsidiary Kennecott.

See http://www.csmonitor.com/Business/2012/0327/Mining-boom-in-Michigan-economic-boost-or-environmental-nuisance.

Philippines: Anniversary knocked while President delays reforms

michaela — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 22:20:42 +0000

The debate on mining continues to dominate the Philippine media. There has been a ‘flurry’ of activities to coincide with the anniversary of the Philippine Mining Act, which has also collided with the on-going lobbying of the President over the much heralded, and now much delayed, Executive Order on mining.

These activities include a number of conferences which have produced statements, as well as a number of demonstrations. The conferences were organised by different Churches, and their support groups, as well as different political groupings. The Catholic Church has once again been particularly strident in declaring the link between mining and poverty.

There was also a national debate between so called ‘pro’ and ‘anti’ mining advocates, which led to a great deal of simplified coverage, but also picked up on the theme of mining and poverty. It is this worry that is at the heart of much indigenous opposition to specific projects. Local B’laan leaders talk of the harassment brought upon them by their opposition to Xstrata’s Tampakan project.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11547.

Dominican Republic: Fears over the Future with Xstrata’s Falcondo

Richard — Tue, 07 Feb 2012 10:22:04 +0000

The Loma Miranda mineral deposit is located some 17km southeast of the city of La Vega and 22km north of the city of Bonao. According to its owner, Xstrata-Falcondo, the deposit contains 22.9 million tonnes of ore grading 1,44% of nickel. Development of Loma Miranda could extend Falcondo’s mining and smelting operations in Dominican Republic for another 20 years. Ecologists and local people fear that solid wastes and gases, resulting from the expansion, will accelerate degradation of the soil and the air, as well as negatively impact on the vital Jima River.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11461&l=1.

Opponents appeal decision to permit Michigan nickel-copper mine

Richard — Thu, 22 Dec 2011 17:58:44 +0000

Environmental and community groups opposed to a nickel and copper mine being constructed in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula aren’t giving up the fight. AP reports that four groups against the Eagle Mine, under construction by Kennecott Eagle Minerals Company, a subsidiary of Rio Tinto, are asking the state Court of Appeals to overturn a judge’s decision last month to uphold the mine permits. The groups say the mine poses a high risk of air and water pollution, and could prove unstable.

See http://www.mining.com/2011/12/13/opponents-appeal-decision-to-permit-michigan-copper-mine/.

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.

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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Rio Tinto may get stung in Sulawesi …and pinched in Queensland

Richard — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:27:34 +0000

A giant black wasp has been identified as a new species, recently discovered in the Mekongga Mountains of Southeast Sulawesi. (The report at the link below mistakenly describes the mountain range as being in Southwest Sulawesi).

One of the problems faced by this mammoth hymenoptera larrimae is the prospect that Rio Tinto will mine huge tonnages of nickel from its habitat.

The UK-Australian mega-miner will doubtless propose establishing a biosphere reserve in the area, to mitigate any damage its mining will cause. However, the warrior wasp is far from being the only endemic species threatened by mining in Sulawesi. Nor is this the only region where non-human creatures are potentially affected by Rio Tinto’s plans. The company may also soon be locking pincers with crabs close to its Weipa bauxite mine in the Australian state of Queensland. Or, at any rate, having to take on environmentalists who are siding with the crustaceans.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/11180.

Anglo American starts phase two production at Barro Alto nickel operation, Brazil

Richard — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:11:05 +0000

London-based resource group Anglo American has started phase two production at its Barro Alto nickel operation in Brazil’s Goiás state, the company reported in a release.

See http://www.bnamericas.com/news/mining/anglo-american-starts-phase-two-production-at-barro-alto-nickel-operation/264172386.

The LME commodity price grand final: nickel versus tin

Richard — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:04:32 +0000

Vying for the title of the London Metal Exchange’s highest priced mainstream metal are nickel and tin. At the time of writing, the cash quotes for these metals panned out as follows: nickel ~$US21,400 per tonne and tin $US23,900 per tonne.

See http://www.miningnewspremium.net/storyview.asp?storyid=2488987.

Royalty and rights issues in Latin America

Richard — Tue, 13 Sep 2011 14:33:08 +0000

BHP Billiton has settled a royalty dispute with the Colombian government – thus enabling the world’s second biggest mining company to continuing operating its Cerro Matoso nickel mine. (At the same time, fifty five workers have filed a lawsuit demanding compensation from Cerro Matoso for a number of occupational diseases and health damages suffered by them in many sectors of the plant.)

The Brazilian government is reforming royalty rates, and this will affect, among others, Anglo American.

Meanwhile, although newly-elected Peruvian president, Humala, has been criticised by some indigenous leaders for failing to grant their communities a veto over new mining projects, others are praising a recently-promulgated law, requiring extractive companies to “consult” about them with their communities. London-listed companies with operations in Peru include Anglo American, Monterrico Metals, Rio Tinto and Xstrata.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/11170.

Glencore bids for Australian nickel miner

Richard — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:56:04 +0000

Shares of Minara Resources jumped 36% on news of a takeover bid by London-listed Swiss-based commodities trader Glencore Resources. Glencore, which went public in May with an astonishing $11 billion IPO, already owns 73.4% of Minara, and is seeking to buy the rest of it for AU$1.02 billion.

See http://www.mining.com/2011/08/24/glencore-bids-for-australian-nickel-miner/.

HudBay gets out of Guatemala – but won’t escape

Richard — Wed, 24 Aug 2011 16:22:17 +0000

Canada’s HudBay Minerals is about to sell all its interests in Guatemala’s Fenix project. Almost certainly one of the prompts for its withdrawal is the murder of a man, and the alleged gang-rapes of eleven women at the project in 2007. However, according to the victims’ lawyer:”HudBay and HMI Nickel cannot avoid liability for their past actions by selling the project” and their court action against the company is to continue.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11122&l=1.

One of the major shareholders in HudBay is London-based Vedanta.