The Alyansa Tigil Mina Blog

Admittedly local mining news has been shut out due to the much more immediate and dramatic environmental crisis caused by the oil spill in the waters off Guimaras.
But mining issues trundle onward - the third phase of Lafayette’s test run was given the greenlight while Greenpeace challenged Lafayette directly.
The PCIJ blog has the complete story.

SECOND BIKOL PRIESTS’ CONGRESS (BPC II) SIGNATURE DRIVE TO STOP MINING IN RAPU-RAPU

PRESS RELEASE - From the Social Action Centre - Diocese of Legazpi

Universidad de Santa Isabel, Naga City, 10 August 2006

We, the Bikol Clergy - Bishops, Priests and Deacons - gathered at the Second Bikol Priests’ Congress (BPC II), wish to convey our strong opposition to the continued presence and operations of Lafayette Philippines, Inc. and its subsidiaries, RRMI and RRPI in Rapu-Rapu, Albay.

Our stand is supported by the findings of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission (RRFFC), headed by Bishop Arturo Bastes, S.V.D., D.D., and solid scientific studies conducted by the Ateneo de Naga University-Institute for Environmental Conservation and Research (INECAR). Studies done by Dr. Emelina Regis, INECAR Director, find the island dangerously unsuitable for mining due to the following reasons:

“[It is an] island ecosystem with steep slopes; [it has a] Type II climate, [i.e.,] there is no dry season, with very pronounced wet period from November to January; [it is] located along the typhoon path; and [it has] massive iron sulfide rocks with acid-generating capacity or Acid Mine Drainage (AMD)… The resulting impacts of AMD include death to living organisms and release of toxic heavy metals that causes loss of productivity of aquatic and terrestrial plants. [and ultimately,] destruction of livelihood in agriculture and fisheries.

These impacts will persist for a long time. Heavy rains will continue to erode loosened contaminated soil. Silt and tailings that poison the land and sea will leave behind unproductive land and dead coral reefs. There is no justice in sacrificing the survival of generations of people and other living organisms for the short-term gains of a few.” (INECAR Position Paper regarding mining in Rapu-Rapu: Closure of Lafayette Mine, 15 February 2006)

Thus, we, the Bikol Clergy, support the pastoral stand of the Dioceses of Legazpi and Sorsogon which they have held consistently from the very start: that mining must not be conducted in Rapu-Rapu and that the best course of action is the immediate closure of the Lafayette mine.

We continue to express our opposition to the 30-day Temporary Lifting Order (TLO) by the DENR that allowed a test run of mining operations by Lafayette, which, many of us believe, is but a ploy and a prelude to regular operations.

We view with much concern the glaring lack of transparency in the investigation of the most recent fish kill, which happened on 18, 21 and 22 July 2006, in one of the creeks in Rapu-Rapu, and reports of harassment of potential witnesses and of an independent research team which tried to get samples from the area.

We support the recommendations of the Rapu-Rapu Fact-Finding Commission (RRFFC). In particular, we wish to highlight some of these recommendations and appeal to the President, the DENR Secretary, concerned government agencies and LGUs, to consider them as moral imperatives: · “Cancel the Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) of RRMI and RRPI” for serious violations of the ECC conditionalities, and above-mentioned reasons. · “Cancel the RRMI and RRPI Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) registration on the basis of the irregularities found (by the RRFFC) and for the reason that the Rapu-Rapu LGU has been unduly deprived of local taxes.” · Review R.A. 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, and its Revised Implementing Rules and Regulations, and repeal provisions that put the interest of the Filipino people at a disadvantage.

May we open our hearts to receive the Holy Spirit. Then He shall renew the face of the earth.

With 234 clergy signatories, including seven bishops of the dioceses of Bikol.

Legaspi, PHILIPPINES — After helping mitigate the devastation wrought by the Petron oil spill in Guimaras Island, Greenpeace ship MY Esperanza today led a flotilla in protest against the gold and silver mining operations of Lafayette in the Philippines. The Australian mine was reopened in July despite government investigations, which revealed ongoing leakages of highly toxic chemicals into the pristine waters of the Albay Gulf.

The Esperanza sailed into Rapu-Rapu Island accompanied by villagers from the provinces of Sorsogon and Albay on board some 70 bancas (traditional outrigger boats) bearing banners saying “Stop Lafayette” and “ABN-Amro, ANZ Stop Funding Marine Pollution”. ABN-Amro and ANZ are providing financial backing for the mining operations. (full article here)

Lafayette/TVI Pacific - Lafayette test run to exceed 30 days

Greenpeace ship arrives in RP to boost oceans campaign

A SHIP of the international environmental group Greenpeace arrived in the Philippines on Tuesday to highlight the organization’s campaigns to save the country’s marine ecosystem, particularly polluted Manila Bay and the seas of the Bicol region.

The MY Esperanza, on its maiden voyage to the country, will also highlight a successful community-managed marine reserve on Apo Island in Negros Oriental and “promote it as a model for marine reserves worldwide,” a Greenpeace statement said.

The Esperanza is also a part of the Guimaras clean up as well as a the lead ship in a flotilla protest versus Lafayette.

Lafayette was allowed to resume operations for month-long tests. It must now fork out more money to the government.

THANKS TO Lafayette Mining Ltd., Barangays Malobago and Pagcolbon on Rapu-Rapu Island, where the Australian mining firm digs for gold, copper and other precious metals, now have 26 beauty salon professionals-roughly one for every 10 adult residents in the two farming villages.

The beauty parlours, which were financed by a P30,000 contribution from Lafayette, are examples of the mining company’s direct economic assistance to residents of areas affected by its open pit mining and ore processing operations. It also gave P75,000 to 20 backyard pig raisers, P12,000 to 56 home-based soap makers, and P20,000 to a hammock maker.

Small-scale livelihood projects may have helped Lafayette win some community and government support for the mining venture when it began developing the mine site a few years ago. But after October, when the mining company accidentally released cyanide-contaminated waste water into nearby rivers and coastal waters, the livelihood projects suddenly looked paltry. Pressure is mounting on Lafayette and the mining industry to pay up much more.

Greenpeace, which compiled the examples of livelihood projects in a report, said the potential financial gains to surrounding communities were outweighed by the potential and opportunity costs of a disaster or ecological damage resulting from the mining project. Generous fiscal incentives granted to Lafayette diminished potential tax revenues to local government units and the national government, it said.

Greenpeace launches cyber-protest vs Lafayette Mining

IN a bid to prevent controversial Lafayette Mining from resuming full operations on Rapu-Rapu Island in Albay province, the international environmental group Greenpeace launched on Friday an online “virtual march” against the Australian-owned firm.

The online protest involves a cyber-petition and a “picture protest page” on which photographs of anti-mining activists holding “No” signs are posted.

Thus far, around a hundred pictures are on the page.

Environmental activists are invited to log on to www.greenpeace.org.ph and click on a banner that says, “Stop the Mine, Save our Seas.”

By: Dorothy Kosich, Mineweb -
http://www.mineweb.net/int_beat/937288.htm

18-AUG-06

RENO, NV (Mineweb.com) — BHP Billiton Friday temporarily closed operations at Escondida, the world’s biggest copper mining operation, and ended negotiations with striking workers.

Spot copper prices were up as much as 2.45% to $3.4319 a pound in early Friday morning trading since the decision was made to temporarily shut down the mine, which supplies roughly 8% of the world’s copper supply.

Union workers have blocked all access roads to the mine located in Chile’s Atacama Desert. BHP Billiton spokeswoman Emma Meade told Australian press that “this heightened union activity means we no longer feel that we are able to unequivocally guarantee the health and safety of our people or the integrity of the operations infrastructure.” (more…)

By: Dorothy Kosich, Mineweb -
http://www.mineweb.net/base_metals/934228.htm
17-AUG-06

RENO, NV (Mineweb.com) — Facing historically low nickel inventories and a “genuine material shortage,” the London Metal Exchange Wednesday imposed trading restrictions on the metal.

Given the myriad of uses of nickel in construction, public facilities, households, and electronics, an acute nickel shortage has potential impacts for First World and developing nations.

In a news release, the LME announced it had imposed a backwardation limit of $300 per tonne per day in the nickel market and suspended the Lending Guidance in respect to those with dominant long positions in nickel. (more…)

JOHN PARTRIDGE, INVESTMENT REPORTER,
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20060817.RGOLD17/TPStory
17th August 06

As the 110th anniversary passed yesterday of a chance discovery by prospector George Carmack that set off the Yukon gold rush, investors’ appetite for the metal appeared set to remain strong for the time being.

However, it will likely take considerably less volatility in prices
to coax jewellers and their customers, gold’s biggest buyers, back into
the market, according to the World Gold Council in London.

The council said yesterday that while identifiable investor demand
for the yellow metal in the second quarter shot up by 19 per cent from a year earlier to 130 tonnes, the jewellers picked up just 62.5 tonnes, down nearly a quarter and the lowest amount in three years. (more…)

Eco Soundings, John Vidal, The Guardian -
http://society.guardian.co.uk/societyguardian/story/0,,1844951,00.html
Wednesday August 16, 2006

Clare Short, the former international development secretary who
resigned in 2003, has just returned from a fact-find trip to the Philippines with some environment and development groups, and seen first-hand the devastation caused by global mining companies. She is angry. “I have never seen anything so systematically destructive as the mining programme in the Philippines,” she says. “The environmental effects are catastrophic, as are the effects on people’s livelihoods.”

Welcome back to the real world, Ms Short. Eco Soundings cannot but remember how, when in office, you used to defend the globalization of poor countries by rich companies, saying they would make the poor richer, and how you used to heap venom on environment groups (”they always end up being anti-development”). Will you now retract your famous quote about how “there is too much talk about the environment”?

http://www.mb.com.ph/MTNN2006082172256.html

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said yesterday that it acted on mining firms in Palawan based on existing rules and regulations stipulated in the small-scale mining permits issued by the local government.

Horacio Ramos, DENR Mines and Geosciences Bureau director, said the DENR has documents to support that mining operations in the municipality of Narra, Palawan, particularly that of Platinum Group Metals Corp., were within the bounds of the law. (more…)

http://www.malaya.com.ph/aug21/envi2.htm

The Concerned Citizens Against Pollution (COCAP) has accused a mining company operating in Palawan of extracting ore more than its allowable limit and using heavy equipment in its operations.

Ester Perez de Tagle, COCAP chairperson, said complaint documents filed before the provincial government and the regional office of the Department of Environment and Natural resources and photographs and testimonies point to environmental damage allegedly caused by the operations of Platinum Group Metals Corp. (PGMC) in Narra, Palawan. (more…)