It should have been shut down nearly a year ago. But, despite an order by the Madras High Court, UK-listed Vedanta Resources has been allowed to continue operating its highly-polluting Tuticorin (Thoothukudi) copper smelter in Tamil Nadu. On 17 August 2011, according...
A massive Malaysian conglomerate, headed by the chief minister of Sarawak, Abdul Taib Mahmud (“Taib”), is now being investigated by the country’s Anti-Corruption Commission. Cahya Mata Sarawak (CMS), which is controlled by Taib and his family, face...
Thousands of people face evacuation from greater Johannesburg in the Gauteng province – the economic heartland of South Africa – due to toxic sludge from abandoned gold mines laced with high radiation levels. See...
Resistance by Pakistan’s Baluchistan provincial government to a mine proposal, submitted by UK-listed Antofagasta and Canada’s Barrick, seems to have succeeded. But this decision may open the way for Chinese companies to successfuly bid for what could be...
The Native American community has a long, troubled history with mining interests, and today that history is catching up with us in Arizona. From a new push for uranium mining at the Grand Canyon to the ongoing battle over Resolution Copper, it’s not too much to say my...
“Today, Britain’s significance to the industry is as a centre for global mining – in terms of finance, technology and know-how. The City of London offers a wide range of financial services to the global industry, including unparalleled capital raising...
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard’s ruling Labor party will debate lifting the ban on the sales of uranium to India at its conference next month, a decision unlikely to be welcomed by the Greens. Uranium producers in Australia include BHP Billiton and Rio...
De Beers high-quality diamond retail arm Forevermark will not sell any diamonds from Zimbabwe’s controversial Chiadzwa and fields, CEO Stephen Lussier said at the launch of the exclusive brand in South Africa. This comes after the industry regulator, the Kimberley...
Anglo American jeopardizing local investments, Codelco CEO says London-based Anglo American is putting its future in Chile at risk by selling a 24.5% stake in its copper assets in central Chile to Japan’s Mitsubishi, according to state red metal producer...
South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo have signed an agreement to build a major hydroelectric power project, which is said to bring electricity to more than half of the continent’s 900 million people. But economic analysts warn that foreign investors...
Ghana will seek to boost revenues from its mining industry next year by hiking taxes, according to a text of the 2012 budget delivered to parliament recently. The corporate tax rate on miners will increase to 35 percent from 25 percent and a separate 10 percent tax on...
The UK’s “eccentric” determination to build new nuclear power means it is not fit to take part in the “third industrial revolution” of switching to clean renewable energy, according to one of the world’s most influential climate...
