See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11440&l=1.

Firms operating in Ghana include subsidiaries of Newmont Gold, London-listed AngloGold Ashanti and South Africa-based Goldfields.

See http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE7AF06Z20111116.

Among London-listed mining companies affected are Anglo American, BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Xstrata.

See http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/11/08/us-australia-carbon-idUSTRE7A60PO20111108.

See http://www.businessspectator.com.au/bs.nsf/Article/Anglo-American-may-pull-investments-jobs-pd20111101-N7Q4J?opendocument&src=rss.

See http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/oct/19/tax-avoidance-in-netherlands-becomes-focus-of-campaigners.

Among the foreign companies with copper interests in Zambia are Vancouver-based First Quantum Minerals;  Glencore International Plc; London-based Vedanta Resources Plc; and Barrick Gold, which owns Lumwana Mine, Africa’s largest copper mine, through its acquisition earlier this year of Equinox Minerals Ltd.

See http://www.mining.com/2011/09/23/copper-miners-in-zambia-fearful-of-king-cobra/.

Guinea’s new mining code, passed on September 9, promises to maximise the public revenues generated by foreign deposits and impose stricter regulations upon mining companies operating in the country. The management of the country’s mining practices has been in dire need of reform for some time. Although Guinea possesses half of the world’s supply of bauxite – the main source of aluminium – it remains one of the world’s poorest countries, with 47% of its population living on less than $1 per day.

Among the mining companies active in the country is Rio Tinto.

See http://thinkafricapress.com/guinea/new-mining-code

It makes for sober – if not shocking – reading, revealing that, between 2008 and 2010, no  fewer than fifty six contracted and directly-employed workers went to their deaths at the company’s operations.

Glencore had to pay US$780,000 in major environmental fines last year. (In contrast, BHP Billiton reported environmental fines of US$35,057 for its 2010 financial year, while Rio Tinto paid US$540,328 in fines during FY 2010-2011).

Glencore also paid out US$575 million last year in tax and royalties to governments, on revenues of $10.8 billion. (For their part, BHP Billiton paid US$7.1 billion in company taxes on US$71.7 billion in revenues and Rio Tinto paid $7.45 billion in net taxes to governments on gross revenues of US$60.3 billion).

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11163.

See also Glencore in storm over staff safety as 56 killed between 2008 and 2010 ahttp://www.dailymail.co.uk/money/markets/article-2034986/Glencore-storm-staff-safety-56-killed-2008-2010.html.

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.

Australia’s coal mining giants are trying to scare the life out of its citizens over the impacts on jobs and investments from the recently-proposed nationwide carbon tax. The proposal is due to be debated by parliament this week.

In a statement last week, Rio Tinto’s Mr Peever (sic) cryptically described the tax as “lack[ing] the flexibility to adjust to the emergence of a different reality”.

However, according to a new report by the Australian Institute, it’s the miners who need to adapt to reality. The Institute points out that the number of jobs actually created  by the industry is far lower than is widely perceived. The majority of its profits are siphoned overseas; and the future of non-mining sectors in the country is being set at grave risk.

Meanwhile, the state government of New South Wales plans to increase royalties paid by mining companies, in order to meet its own obligations to pay the carbon tax.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/11172.

The Swiss-based company’s transformation into a public company has been littered with embarrassing accusations over corporate governance including allegations – denied by the company – that it avoided tax in Zambia.

Criticism from campaign groups and investors has persuaded the company to address its image problem, with its first sustainability report set to be published in September.

See http://www.thisismoney.co.uk/money/markets/article-2031166/Glencore-declare-support-ethical-mining-spruce-image.html.

Numerous London-listed mining companies will be affected by changes in mining taxation in Latin America.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11134&l=1.

See http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page72068?oid=133487&sn=Detail.

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11068.

In fact, according to one report, the scheme will see coal miners “like global giants Xstrata Ltd, Rio Tinto, BHP Billiton” being eligible for a A$1.3 billion compensation package. And the tax will add an estimated average of only A$1.80 per metric ton to the cost of mining coal “at a time when coal prices are at near record highs…”

See http://www.minesandcommunities.org/article.php?a=11055.