Xstrata Faces Growing Criticism Over Koniambo Nickel Project in Kanaky-New Caledonia

Xstrata’s Koniambo project in the South Pacific French territory of Kanaky-New Caledonia, formerly owned by Falconbridge, is coming under increasing scrutiny and criticism. The proposed nickel mine, in the northern province of Kanaky-New Caledonia, will be one of the largest mines in the world when...

Uranium Still a Hot Topic Across Canada

In December, 2007, MiningWatch Canada issued its long-awaited Policy Statement on Uranium Mining.

Requests for help in addressing uranium issues from all across Canada meant that we had to figure out exactly where we stood on uranium mining and exploration.

Our situation was not unique. The...

Conversations with the Earth: A Community Arts Project in Sudbury

Tanya Ball shows off the mural decorating the new Myths and Mirrors building. (Tanya Ball photo)Over the past year, the Canary Institute and MiningWatch Canada have been honoured to work with Myths and Mirrors Community Arts in Sudbury on a project for youth called “Conversations with the Earth”.

Myths and Mirrors hosted the Ontario Mining Action Network meeting in November 2007 and...

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End Mining’s Privileged Access to Land! Communities Across Canada Outraged by Free Entry System

Across Canada, communities and Aboriginal governments are saying they have had enough when it comes to the privileged access mining has to land under the existing system, which grants “free entry” to prospectors and mining companies under the assumption the mining is the “highest and best” use of...

MiningWatch Canada Policy Statement on Uranium Mining

Uranium mining is a highly contentious issue across Canada and globally. Uranium mining, from exploration through to mining, processing, and eventual decommissioning, is risky and dangerous to the environment, wildlife, local peoples and communities, and workers.

Uranium is used for three...

Urgent Appeal to United Nations Special Rapporteurs Regarding Human Rights Abuses at Porgera Mine

On December 2, 2007, MiningWatch Canada sent an Urgent Appeal to the Special Rapporteur on Extrajudicial, Summary, or Arbitrary Executions regarding allegations of extrajudicial killings by private security guards (tolerated by the government), Papua New Guinea Police and Mobile Unit Police at the...

Breaching Indigenous Law: Canadian Mining in Guatemala

By: Shin Imai, Ladan Mehranvar, and Jennifer Sander; reproduced from the Indigenous Law Journal, Volume 6, Issue 1, 2007 with permission from the authors. This is a case study of a small Indigenous community in Guatemala that defied a powerful Canadian mining company by holding a community vote on...

Summary Review of Skye Resources’ Technical Report on an Update to the Fenix Project, Izabal, Guatemala

This summary review by Dawn Paley is based on Skye Resources Inc.’s Technical Report on an Update to the Fenix Project, Izabal Guatemala of September 15, 2007, posted online at www.sedar.com.

Goldcorp Analysis

A report on the activities of Goldcorp around the world: “Given the rapid pace of mergers and acquisitions that Goldcorp has made over the last few years, it is too early to see how the new expanded company will behave in the real world, and what kind of social and environmental responsibility it...

Concerned Citizens of Michipicoten Bay

The Concerned Citizens of Michipicoten Bay in Ontario have been trying to stop a major gravel quarry from being built on private land on the Heritage Coast of Lake Superior. For more information, visit their website at www.ccmb.ca, or contact Mark Z. Leschishin, President , e-mail: mleschishin(at...

Guatemala: Recuperating the Land that Belongs to Us

by Sandra Cuffe, Rights Action

(El Estor, Guatemala) "Why are we gathered here tonight?," asked community elder Roberto Caal, looking around at the dozens of women, men and children gathering under the palm-thatched roof of the open-air community hall in Barrio Revolucion, in the municipality of El...

MiningWatch Responds to the National Post

MiningWatch Canada has responded to three articles written by Peter Foster for the Financial Post section of the National Post, as well as to one erroneous correction that ran in the Financial Post. For more information about the situation in Ecuador, see MiningWatch Canada's recent analysis: Canadi...

Discrimination against the Subanon of the Philippines in the context of large-scale gold mining on their ancestral domain.

Submission to the Committee on the Elimination of All Forms of Racial Discrimination Regarding: Discrimination against the Subanon of Mt Canatuan, Siocon, Zambonga del Norte, Philippines in the context of large-scale gold mining on their ancestral domain.

Committee on the Elimination of all...

Kwale Dispatch: Investigating Tiomin Resources' Criminal Activities In Kenya

'Kwale Dispatch’ was produced by ZAHRA MOLOO of CKUT Radio in Montreal, with translations from Kiswahili by Andrew Mwangura.  It features interviews taken in August 2005 with villagers of the affected areas of Maumba and Nguluku as well as representatives of the human rights organizations Muhuri,...

Canadian Mining Investment in Southeast Ecuador Exacerbates Divisions, Conflicts

This analysis was undertaken following the publication of two letters accusing MiningWatch Canada of “genocide” and of keeping the Shuar people of Southeast Ecuador in poverty (see MiningWatch Responds to Ecuadorian Letters). The letters make special reference to Corriente Resources’ ‘Mirador’...