West Papuan activists protest outside Rio Tinto’s AGM over the company’s involvement in the Grasberg mine. Photo: Amy Scaife
Protesters from around the world attacked mining company Rio Tinto for a string for alleged environmental and human rights breaches during a fiery meeting with shareholders in London on Thursday.
Native Mongolian herders claimed that a $5bn (£3.3bn) expansion of the company’s Oyu Tolgoi copper and gold mine in the Gobi desert threatened the fresh water supply of hundreds of nomadic people and the area’s unique ecology.
Protesters also raised concerns about Rio’s planned mines in Bristol Bay, Alaska, a controversial iron ore mine in Guinea, and a nickel and copper mine in Michigan.
See http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/apr/18/rio-tinto-environmental-human-rights-breaches.
Sukhgerel Dugersuren of Mongolian NGO OT Watch, representing Mongolian herders affected by Rio Tinto’s operations at Oyu Tolgoi. Photo: Amy Scaife