AREVA’s "Kiggavik" Uranium Project: Federal Government Called to Uphold Nunavut Impact Review Board’s ‘No-Go’ Recommendation

(Ottawa) In a recent letter sent to Minister of Aboriginal Affairs and Northern Development (AANDC), the Hon. Bernard Valcourt, MiningWatch Canada calls on the federal government to uphold the Nunavut Impact Review Board’s (NIRB) ‘no-go’ recommendation for AREVA’s Kiggavik uranium mine proposal.

Good Riddance Infinito Gold, A Long Overdue Farewell to Costa Rica

Submitted by Jen on
Special Blog Type

Canadian, US and other international civil society organizations welcome Infinito Gold’s announcement that it is calling it quits on its tortuous quest to open the Crucitas mine in Costa Rica in spite of the determined opposition of the Costa Rican people and repeated court decisions against it.

Canada’s Mines Ministers ‘Open’ to Taking Action to Prevent Future Mine Waste Disasters, But Concrete Commitments Lacking

(Halifax) As Canada’s annual Energy & Mines Ministers Conference winds up in Halifax, MiningWatch Canada is pleased that Canada’s Mines Ministers have discussed mine waste management issues following last year’s massive Mount Polley spill in British Columbia. But the mining watch dog is also concerned that the meeting will not result with any concrete commitments in in order to prevent future mine waste disasters.

Key Issues

Deep Sea Mining – A new frontier for ecosystem destruction

Submitted by Catherine on
Special Blog Type

This week the United Nations’ International Seabed Authority (ISA) is meeting in Jamaica to consider draft regulations for the exploitation of seabed mineral resources. MiningWatch Canada joins a growing global outcry over the speed at which the ISA is moving from licensing deep sea exploration to adopting regulations for mining the deep sea.

Focus Terms

Worldwide Pressure on the International Seabed Authority for a Moratorium on Deep Sea Mining

KINGSTON, Jamaica – Citizens from all around the world have joined civil society, non government organisations and scientists in calling on the International Seabed Authority (ISA) to halt issuing further exploration licences and to establish a moratorium on deep sea mining.

Source
Deep Sea Mining Campaign – MiningWatch Canada – Oasis Earth – Mineral Policy Institute
Key Issues

Red Light for Uranium Mining in Quebec: Quebec meillure mine Coalition Welcomes the Independent Panel Conclusions

(Quebec) The Coalition pour que le Québec ait meilleure mine welcomes the conclusions of the Quebec Environmental & Public Hearings Panel (BAPE), which concluded that the risks and uncertainties of the mining of uranium relating to health and the environment are still too numerous to allow it to proceed.

Source
La Coalition pour que le Québec ait meilleure mine

Letter to UN High Commissioner for Human Rights re: Barrick Gold’s Grievance Mechanism at Porgera Mine

Submitted by Catherine on
Special Blog Type

Barrick Gold’s proposed assessment of its project-level non-judicial grievance mechanism for sexual assault victims in Papua New Guinea does not meet criteria set by the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights in 2013, particularly with regard to process, independence, inclusiveness and transparency, and credibility.

Ecuador: Girón advances toward a community plebiscite to stop mining in Kimsacocha

(Quito/Ottawa) Members of the Union of Community Water Systems in Girón County (UNAGUA-Girón) in the south-central province of Azuay, Ecuador are collecting signatures in order to undertake a community plebiscite to decide the future of the mining project “Loma Larga” owned by Canadian mining company INV Metals in the area of Kimsacocha.

Source
FIAN Ecuador – MiningWatch Canada

Mount Polley Mine Reopens Despite Ongoing Investigations

(Ottawa) MiningWatch Canada is concerned that the BC government’s decision to reopen the Mount Polley mine is premature as long as the operator, Imperial Metals, is still under two investigations for its failure to prevent the biggest catastrophic mining spill in Canadian history on August 4 of last year.

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