The Alyansa Tigil Mina Blog

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/4760707.stm

Gold mining carries social and environmental costs for many developing countries, a British aid agency has warned in a new campaign. Cafod says most gold mining takes place in developing states, where it pollutes water, displaces poor communities and damages traditional livelihoods. The warning comes amid rising costs of gold, most of which goes for jewellery. Cafod wants mining companies and jewellery retailers to sign a set of standards so gold is mined responsibly. But some aid agencies such as Oxfam support the sale of gold reserves to finance debt relief.

Gold mining is one of the world’s dirtiest industries Cafod A report last year by the World Gold Council found that the industry brought “substantial improvement” in social and financial infrastructure. Most mining companies tried to take on local workers and source supplies locally, while royalty and tax revenues from the business contributed to government coffers, the WGC said. ‘Dirty’ industry Buyers should be made more aware of the impact of a taste for gold, Cafod - a Roman Catholic charity - said in a report published on Wednesday. “Gold mining is one of the world’s dirtiest industries,” the report said. (more…)

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Source: The Jakarta Post - May 06, 2006

By Tb. Arie Rukmantara, Jakarta

A team of eight legislators arrived in Papua on Friday for a three-day visit to Freeport’s mine in Timika to gather data about the company’s environmental management after new allegations of pollution in the area came to light this week. Team leader and House of Representatives working committee secretary on Freeport Catur Sapto Edy said the lawmakers were visiting the Grasberg mine, a joint venture of US-based Freeport McMoran Copper and Gold Inc. and Australian Rio Tinto Ltd.

The team is accompanied by a geologist, a mining expert and an environmental scientist, all from the government’s Technology Assessment and Application Agency (BPPT). It planned to examine allegations by environmental groups that the company had degraded the environment, Catur told The Jakarta Post.

In audit reports released to the public by the Indonesian Forum for the Environment (Walhi) on Wednesday, Walhi alleges Freeport operations have caused widespread environmental damage in the area, which was greater than the government had initially reported. It said the mine had dumped about a billion tons of tailings in its concession area, which were polluting forests and river systems with heavy metals such as copper and arsenic. (more…)

By: Dorothy Kosich, Mineweb - http://www.mineweb.net/columns/american_notes/299027.htm

08-MAY-06

RENO–(Mineweb.com) Did Bolivian President Evo Morales shoot himself in the foot or, rather, follow a growing resource nationalism trend when he moved to nationalize Bolivia’s energy fields on May 1?

As the dust cleared during this past week, a mixed bag of international opinions emerged regarding the impacts of Morales’s nationalization decree.

At home, Morales gave himself a must-needed boost as the hero of the poor and downtrodden in Bolivia. The seizure of foreign-owned assets or increasing taxes on resource companies generally give governments short-term popularity. In fact, some have suggested that, if Morales can consistently maintain his popularity, it may actually bring a degree of stability to a nation that has averaged one national government turnover annually.

In a recent analysis, Standard & Poor’s Credit Analysts highlighted “the complex and tumultuous social and political dynamics, which already led to the ouster of two Bolivian presidents, are the overarching factors explained the government’s current [low] sovereign ratings and outlook.” Analysts Sebastian Briozzo and Jane Eddy noted that “while the decree reflects an election promise, it appears to represent more of a political effort to regain momentum than a concrete plan designed to increase the government’s direct participation in the sector.” They asserted that no comprehensive plan to advance the hydrocarbon sector exists “and a country as poor as Bolivia lacks the resources to develop a capital-intensive sector.” (more…)

Ben Sharples, http://www.miningnews.net/StoryView.asp?StoryID=58505

Wednesday, May 10, 2006

BASE and precious metals have continued their barnstorming run with aluminium, copper, zinc and platinum all cashing in as investors piled back into commodities while gold broke through the $US700 per ounce mark overnight. Melbourne-based mining consultants Surbiton Associates said several factors, including tensions in the Middle East, renewed concern over the US twin deficits, increased investment by commodity funds and speculative trading, were driving up the gold price.

The yellow metal settled at (another) 25-year high overnight in New York at $701/oz. In 1980, the gold price peaked at an all-time high of $850/oz. (more…)

By: Barry Sergeant, Mineweb - http://www.mineweb.net/columns/curve_ball/305524.htm

10-MAY-06

JOHANNESBURG (Mineweb.com) — Gold futures rushed to fresh 26-year highs on Tuesday, nudging $700 an ounce, as platinum set fresh records at $1 236 and aluminium pushed through $3000 a ton. Amid tones of caution from some professional investors, speculators continued to pile into raw materials as the Iranian crisis waxed again, and news hit markets of China’s massive raw materials stockpiling plans for its next 5-year strategic plan. Meanwhile, a fresh survey said that capital expenditure in the Persian Gulf now topped $1 trillion, placing yet further strain on supplies of metals, commodities and raw materials.

Investor interest in metals and commodities, already fanned by the hunt for safe, alternative assets, remains underpinned by robust global economic growth. On the supply side, there are increasing constraints on expansion, not least due to rising skills shortages.

As a relatively minor component of the global investment pool, metals and commodities continue to draw new investor participants. In a report out of Sydney, Citigroup Smith Barney analyst Alan Heap said investors of all kinds held at least $120 billion in US commodity markets in April. This, the second-highest figure on record, only adds fuel to the metals and commodities boom. Citigroup said investors held some $30 billion in natural gas contracts, about the same in crude oil, with the two comprising about half the total of 36 metals and commodities surveyed. Natural gas and crude oil were followed by gold contracts with $13 billion invested. (more…)

By: Father Shay Cullen
(Published in the UK & Ireland, Sunday Examiner HK
The Sunday Times, Philippines and Worldwide by Internet
Archives www.preda.org)

Bishops, priests, environmental defenders, indigenous people and the common Filipino have one thing in common and that is a love of their once beautiful land and the environment. When they are told that there is bonanza of wealth that could make them all rich they just laugh. It’s all lies, stories of greedy speculators trying to convince them to abandon their sustained and well focused opposition to the Philippine and international mining industry.

The titans of industry are waiting like vultures to get their prey. They have oodles of investment funds and lots of guns and goons and now the law on their side. Exploitation environmental destruction, loss of land and livelihood, houses, toxic waste sickness and disease and poverty and great landslides are just some of the problems that mining brings. There is nothing in it for the people but the mining moguls there are vast profits. (more…)

CCNMatthews -
http://www.ccnmatthews.com/news/releases/show.jsp?action=showRelease&searchText=false&showText=all&actionFor=595077

CALGARY, ALBERTA - TVI Pacific Inc. (TSX:TVI) (”TVI” or the “Company”)
is pleased to report that the Philippine Department of Environment and
Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Angelo T. Reyes and Canadian Ambassador to the Philippines Peter Sutherland stated the inauguration of TVI’s US$3.3 million Gossan Tailings Dam symbolizes the Company’s concern for the environment and adherence to good corporate citizenship. The top officials of the two governments graced the inaugural ceremonies at TVI’s Canatuan Project in Siocon, Zamboanga del Norte, Philippines, highlighted by a dedication and blessing ritual conducted by the Council of Elders of the Subanon indigenous people.

Located approximately 800 meters from the mine workings, the Gossan Dam
represents a major environmental management control feature within the
overall Canatuan gold and silver mining operations. Consisting of a dam, overflow spillway, impoundment area and an upstream diversion dam, the Gossan Dam was designed and constructed to provide a controlled and safe disposal facility for tailings produced by the mine and milling operations. Designed and supervised by a leading Canadian/international engineering firm, the Gossan dam is “as good as any such structure anywhere in the world,” said TVI Corporate Advisor John Ridsdel, welcoming the Secretary and the Ambassador to the inauguration ceremony. (more…)

Sun Star Zamboanga - http://www.sunstar.com.ph/static/zam/2006/05/16/news/rp.must.do.part.to.preserve.earth.reyes.html

Tuesday, May 16, 2006

ENVIRONMENT and Natural Resources (DENR) Secretary Angelo Reyes last Friday exhorted on all sectors to combine efforts in addressing the current phenomenal threat of pollution to the country’s environment.

“It’s not only the responsibility of government. The private sector has also its own responsibility in helping solve the acute problem of pollution in our midst,” stressed the new Environment Secretary during a press conference held earlier, at the Garden Orchid Hotel’s Executive Hall on Governor Camins, Zamboanga City.

In his “7-Point Program to Enhance RP Environment,” Reyes stated seven priority sectors that are deemed “strategic and require more focus by both the government and the private sector, and these are the following: (1) Air and water pollution; (2) Full enforcement of the Solid Waste Management Act; (3) Forest denudation; (4) Geo-hazard map; ( 5) Revive the Pasig River, (6) Full enforcement of laws, rules, and regulations protecting the environment; and (7) Responsible Mining. (more…)

PIA Press Release - http://www.pia.gov.ph/news.asp?fi=p060517.htm&no=50
17th May 2006
Tacloban City — DENR Secretary Angelo T. Reyes defined the government’s stand on mining and logging during the press conference held yesterday at the Leyte Park Hotel’s President’s Hall.

Secretary Reyes said that it is the duty of the State to encourage the development of the natural resources for the common good to improve the quality of life of the people. The natural resources must be developed in a very responsible manner in such a way that they pursue the triple goals of growth and profitability, social equity and environmental protection as well.
In so far as mining is concerned, the general position is that the government is not against mining per se, what the government is against of is irresponsible mining. It cannot be denied, Secretary Reyes said, that there has been horror stories in mining experiences foremost of which is the mining experience in Marinduque. (more…)