You may have noticed that it’s been over a year since our last “quarterly” newsletter. I suppose it’s a sign of becoming a victim of our own success. Between some very high-profile campaigns such as bringing the Red Chris mine environmental assessment case all the way to the Supreme Court or the...
Bill C-300 – Private Member's Bill Promotes Industry and Government Accountability
On February 9, 2009, Liberal Member of Parliament John McKay tabled a private member’s bill in the House of Commons. Bill C-300, titled An Act respecting Corporate Accountability for the Activities of Mining, Oil or Gas in Developing Countries, would codify a number of key recommendations on...
The Government’s New “CSR Counsellor” for the Extractive Sector
In March 2009 the Canadian government finally released its response to the March 2007 Advisory Group Report of the CSR Roundtables.
The government’s response, heavily influenced by two years of lobbying by individual mining companies, the Prospectors and Developers Association of Canada and the...
The Cordillera del Condor – Ecuador and Peru Turn On Their Own Peoples
While companies such as Vancouver-based Dorato Resources and IAMGOLD are moving in on the Cordillera del Condor (Condor Mountain Range) along both sides of the Peru-Ecuador border, other Canadian companies, such as Kinross Gold, Corriente Resources, and Dynasty Metals & Mining, are re-establishing...
Focus on Mining Giant Vale at World Social Forum
At the invitation of Brazilian activists who are supporting communities struggling against multinational mining giant Vale (formerly Companhia Vale do Rio Doce) in Brazil, and with support from the Steelworkers Humanity Fund and the Canadian Auto Workers Social Justice Fund, MiningWatch’s Catherine...
Canada-Ecuador: When Stock Exchanges Fuel Human Rights Violations
Recently, Toronto-based Pinetree Capital bought a few million shares of Copper Mesa Mining Corporation, making it the largest share owner of a failing company currently embroiled in a lawsuit . The takeover raised the price of its penny stock upwards to between three and five cents. Copper Mesa...
Proposed Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine
Taseko Mines Ltd. is proposing to construct an open-pit copper and gold mine in the heart of Tsilhqot’in Territory, 125 km. west of Williams Lake BC.
If the project were to proceed it would:
- drain the beautiful, culturally important and rainbow trout-filled Teztan Biny (Fish Lake);
- elimate...
Proposed Mt. Milligan Gold-Copper Project
Terrane Metals Corp. is proposing an open pit gold-copper mine in central BC near the town of Fort St. James and within the traditional territories of the McLeod Lake Indian Band and the Nak'azdli Nation. The two nations are not in agreement over the project proceeding with the Nak'azdli whose...
MiningWatch Canada Position Statement on Bill C-300
Bill C-300, an Act respecting Corporate Accountability for the Activities of Mining, Oil or Gas in Developing Countries is needed because the operations of Canadian extractive companies in weak governance zones have shown the potential to abuse human rights and cause serious environmental harm.
Urgent Action: Threats and Violence Against Community Leaders in Cabañas, El Salvador
Community leaders from the region of Cabañas and Santa Marta have come under serious threat in the past months. Please help press Salvadoran authorities to make sure the threats and violence are stopped, and make sure Canadian officials, the Canadian public, and Canadian companies operating in the...
URGENT ACTION: Bill C-300 – Corporate Accountability for the Activities of Mining, Oil or Gas Corporations in Developing Countries
Bill C-300, An Act Respecting Corporate Accountability for the Activities of Mining, Oil or Gas Corporations in Developing Countries, represents the best chance we have as Canadians to assure that Canadian extractive companies follow human rights and environmental best practices when they operate...
Aur Resources - merged with Teck
Teck Cominco acquired Aur Resources Inc. in August 2007. Teck Cominco changed its name to Teck Resources Ltd. in April 2009. Company web site: www.teck.com
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Uranium - Overview
Canada is the largest exporter of uranium ore in the world. Northern Saskatchewan is home to all of Canada’s uranium mines. Roughly half of the supply of uranium comes from mining; the balance comes from decommissioned nuclear weapons.
Uranium is mined in open pit and underground mines...
Quarrying and Aggregates - Overview
Quarrying and aggregates (sand and gravel mining) are a huge environmental and social problem in many parts of the world and many parts of Canada. However, since the policy and legal issues are mostly local (municipal and provincial) MiningWatch Canada does not usually get involved. We have picked...
Mineral Sands - Overview
Major mineral sands reserves are found in South Africa, USA, Sierra Leone, India, Australia and Madagascar. The most popular mining methods are dredging or dry mining. Dredging involves working in artificial ponds and pumping ore to floating concentrators whereas dry mining uses a variety of...