SUSTAINABLE MINING

Federal stimulus package will facilitate Summitville gold mine pollution cleanup

Monday , 20 Apr 2009
The long saga of the cleanup of the Summitville gold mine Superfund site in Colorado may finally be reaching its conclusion, thanks to President Obama's $5.5 billion economic stimulus package.

Appalachian coal mining loses yet another round; this time in federal court

Thursday , 02 Apr 2009
Last week, the EPA squared off against the Army Corps of Engineers over permitting of mountaintop mining in Appalachia. Now a federal court judge has revoked an important national permit for the disposal of mining overburden in the region.

Newmont independent community relations study shows gaps between policy and practice

Tuesday , 10 Mar 2009
An unprecedented in the mining industry study of whether Newmont's corporate community relations policies are actually implemented at minesites in both developed and developing nations finds gaps exist between the two.

Mining workplace safety should go beyond compliance

Wednesday , 11 Feb 2009
Good safety compliance guidelines are important, but perhaps are not enough on their own to significantly reduce accidents in South Africa's mines.

Finally, consensus reached on Faro lead-zinc mine closure plan

Monday , 09 Feb 2009
After five years of negotiations, officials have reached agreement on a closure plan for the Faro Mine complex in the Yukon Territory, which could cost as much as Cdn$600 million.

Gold mine tailings dump to be drained to save Lima water supply

Thursday , 05 Feb 2009
Tailings dumps for Gold Hawk's Coricancha mine are being drained to prevent possible contamination of a river which supplies water to Peru's capital, Lima.

Norway's sovereign wealth fund drops yet another mining investment; this time it's Barrick

Monday , 02 Feb 2009
As pension investments are already tightening, the investment arm of the Norwegian Government has adopted pollution criteria, which has prompted the nation to drop its investment in yet another miner.

Nevada federal judge refuses to grant injunction to halt Cortez Hills gold project

Tuesday , 27 Jan 2009
A federal court judge has ruled Barrick's massive Cortez Hills gold project in Nevada's Crescent Valley may continue construction.

Final arguments scheduled today in Barrick Cortez Hills injunction hearing

Friday , 23 Jan 2009
A federal judge will decide whether to grant an injunction to stop Barrick's Cortez Hills gold project.

Minera Afrodita employees still held hostage by Peruvian protestors

Wednesday , 21 Jan 2009
Humpani protestors say they will release their hostages when the Peruvian government assesses so-called environmental damage at Minera Afrodita.

Kensington gold project oral arguments to be heard today before U.S. Supreme Court

Monday , 12 Jan 2009
The ultimate fate of Coeur d'Alene Mines' 1.4 million ounce Kensington gold project is now in the hands of the U.S. Supreme Court.

Controversial mountaintop coal mining loans cut by banks – even as regulations eased

Friday , 05 Dec 2008
Bank of America is to phase out lending to Appalachia’s mountaintop miners in a move likely to be followed by other financial institution, and which will be praised by environmental groups.

The resources slump: slash & burn?

Wednesday , 03 Dec 2008
Many oil and mining companies are slashing investments as commodity prices collapse. For their own sake, the socio-political fall out will need to be sensitively managed.

ArcelorMittal's African iron ore mining gamble

Saturday , 15 Nov 2008
The world's biggest steel company has said it will invest $1.5 billion in one of the poorest countries on earth. It may struggle to manage local expectations.

Indonesia's tin islands pay the price for centuries of unregulated mining

Tuesday , 21 Oct 2008
Efforts in recent years to control illegal mining on the Bangka-Belitung islands off Sumatra have reverberated thousands of miles away by spooking world markets for tin.

Canada's Harper pledges that he will ban Asian, maybe U.S. oil sands exports

Monday , 29 Sep 2008
Canada may ban exports of raw bitumen to countries which do not meet Canada's processing emission standards if the country's Conservative Government is re-elected in the country's forthcoming poll.

Areva feels uranium mining heat in Niger

Friday , 19 Sep 2008
The French nuclear company’s huge uranium mines in Niger have recently been caught between a local insurgency and an increasingly assertive host government – a familiar pattern for other resource projects across the world.

Ecuador minister says country will support responsible mining

Friday , 12 Sep 2008
Ecuador’s mines ministry hopes to foster “a responsible and honest mining industry that promotes a sustainability concept, in order to support and develop a strong industry that not only respects the environment, but contributes to social improvement.”

Russian lead/zinc project threatens Lake Baikal

Tuesday , 09 Sep 2008
The world’s oldest and deepest lake is said to be under threat from Russia’s Kholodninskoye zinc deposit that stands in the lake’s watershed.

TB, HIV/AIDS, Malaria in mining – ICMM good practice guidance released

Tuesday , 02 Sep 2008
Mining companies can play an important part in the control of the world’s top three communicable diseases.

NMA and other U.S. Associations join suit over polar bear ESA 'Alaska Gap' designation

Monday , 01 Sep 2008
Five national associations, including the National Mining Association and the American Petroleum Institute, have sued the U.S. Department of Interior, seeking equal treatment for Alaskan operations under new ESA polar bear protection rules.

Final count on Anti-Pebble copper/gold project ballot in Alaska confirms defeat for proposal

Thursday , 28 Aug 2008
In one of the most expensive ballot fights in Alaska history, Alaskan voters agreed with miners and state regulators that Alaska mines would suffer serious harm if a clean water initiative--aimed at stopping the controversial Pebble copper-gold project--was enacted.

Anti-Pebble copper/gold project ballot measure appears to be going down to defeat in Alaska

Wednesday , 27 Aug 2008
A state clean water initiative, originally aimed at the Pebble project, which opponents had feared could eventually impact all major Alaskan mining operations, was apparently going down to defeat early Wednesday morning.

Alaskans vote on anti-Pebble copper/gold project, clean water ballot measure

Monday , 25 Aug 2008
A long, expensive fight over the future of the Pebble copper-gold project is being placed before Alaska voters on this Tuesday's primary ballot. No matter what the outcome, litigation is anticipated.

Can BHP Billiton avoid gagging on Gag's nickel?

Tuesday , 12 Aug 2008
In a new series on risky resource projects the authors ask what BHP Billiton can do to avoid social and environmental controversy on a remote Indonesian island should a nickel development there move ahead.