21/03/09

Mining – India 1
1. Coal import target revised by 40% 1
2. Coal India eyes mining assets in Australia 2
3. Global steel output dips 22% in Feb; up 2.8% in India 3
4. Demand for Indian Steel is expected to slow down 3
Mining – International 4
5. Asarco shut Texas copper plants this week 4
6. Open Letter On Exploiting Bauxite in Vietnam’s Central Highlands 6
7. Uranium extraction to start in 2011- Ngeleja 8
8. limestone mining in coastal areas 9
9. Govt to table mining bill April By Levina Kato 10
10. Appalachia’s Agony 11
11. Oman: Prospects of Mining Wealth 12
12. Law would end mountaintop coal mining 16
13. Students fight mountain top removal 17
14. Safety feds target mining operations 18
Other News – India 19
15. Brazil Indians gain land victory 19
16. Over 4 lakh applications received under RTI in Maharashtra 20
17. Govt undertakes massive programme to save forests in India 21
18. SEZ growth slows as economic crisis hits 21
19. Nalco Foundation Recognizes World Water Day With $100,000 Grant to Water For People 24
20. Global Warming Effects Causes Further Climate Change 25

Mining – India

Coal import target revised by 40%

BS Reporter / New Delhi March 21, 2009, 0:43 IST

In a bid to increase fuel availability for power plants in the country, the government has revised upwards the coal import target by 40 per cent to 35 million tonnes (MT) for the next fiscal, even as the coal ministry claims that India has sufficient coal to meet its needs.
“We have set a coal import target of 35 MT for power utilities in 2009-10, against the earlier planned 25 MT,” said power secretary VS Sampath.
Earlier this year, the government had raised the target to 28.7 MT. The reworking of the target comes against the backdrop of a huge additional power generation capacity planned to be set up by the companies.
Among the major power-producing companies, state-owned NTPC Ltd would import 12.5 MT coal next fiscal, against the previous target of 10 MT, according to RS Sharma, chairman and managing director of the company.
Even as the government has drawn up plans to increase coal imports, Minister of State for Coal Santosh Bagrodia had earlier claimed that the country had surplus coal. “We have a surplus coal stock of about 31 MT and the shortage of coal is a myth,” he said.
Lack of availability of the dry fuel, in addition to the delays in power capacity addition, is identified as the major reason for the expanding gap in the demand and supply of electricity in India.
Coal-based power generation constituted around 65 per cent of the 539 billion units of power generated in the country between April and December 2008.
While around 20 MT of coal was planned to be imported in the current fiscal, around 18 MT has been imported till now.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/coal-import-target-revised-by-40/352472/


Coal India eyes mining assets in Australia

Press Trust of India / New Delhi March 19, 2009, 14:22 IST

After getting mineral concessions for two mining blocks in Mozambique, Navratna public sector unit Coal India (CIL) has now set its eyes on coal assets in Australia, government sources said.
During a meeting of the Indo-Australia joint working group on energy and mineral here this week, CIL sought details of Australian mining assets available for takeover and equity participation, a senior Coal Ministry official said today.
In response to CIL's request, Australia has agreed to provide information related to the available mining assets as also the procedures and agencies that could facilitate such deals, he added.
CIL Chairman Partha S Bhattacharya confirmed that the company is discussing a couple of options in Australia, but said it is mostly being done through ICVL, an special purpose vehicle of five leading PSUs, including CIL, to scout coal properties abroad.
CIL is not only interested in virgin coal blocks, but is also open to equity participation with companies in Australia to take over their assets.
Early this month, CIL bagged mineral concessions for two mining blocks with an estimated coal reserves of about a billion tonne in Mozambique.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/coal-india-eyes-mining-assets-in-australia/56937/on

Global steel output dips 22% in Feb; up 2.8% in India

Press Trust of India / London March 20, 2009, 21:04 IST

Hit by slackening demand, the global steel output declined by 22 per cent to 84 million tonnes in February even as it grew by 2.8 per cent in India on improved requirement from automobile and construction sectors.
World crude steel production stood at 84 million tonnes in February, which is 24 per cent lower than the same month last year, the World Steel Association, representing 180 steel producers globally, said in a statement today.
While most steel-producing countries, except China and Iran registered a two-digit decrease in their steel output, in India the production increased by 2.8 per cent to 4.74 million tonnes from 4.61 million tonnes an year-ago.
"Both January and February have been good for the steel sector as production and consumption increased. This is a good sign for the sector and the economy," India's Steel Secretary P K Rastogi said.
With offtakes improving the Indian steel mills which had slashed production in the third quarter, have revived their capacities to the maximum level.
During April-February period, India produced 51.5 million tonnes of steel, registering a jump of 1.3 per cent over the year-ago period.
China too saw its crude steel output increase by 4.9 per cent to 40.4 million tonnes in February 2009. Iran reported a maximum 15.9 per cent surge in crude steel production at 0.9 million tonnes.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/global-steel-output-dips-22-in-feb28-in-india/57062/on

Demand for Indian Steel is expected to slow down






21.03.2009 10:48:35 bharatbook.comincluded a new report "Indian Steel Industry" elucidates facts on the Indian Steel industry, supplemented by the latest statistics.
(live-PR.com) - Indian Steel Industry
World crude steel production declined from 1,344 mn tonnes in CY 2007 to 1,329 mn tonnes in CY 2008…China continues to dominate

Global Scenario
World’s crude steel production has reached a level of 1,329 mn tonnes in CY 2008 but declined by 1.1% on YoY basis. During the period CY 2001-2008, the world crude steel production has grown at

a Compounded Annual Growth Rate (CAGR) of 7.9%. Growth in crude steel production was mainly driven by emerging countries such as China and India which registered a CAGR of 18.7% and 10.6%, respectively, during the same period.(www.bharatbook.com/Market-Research-Reports/India .. )

With global economic meltdown in CY 2008, global crude steel production in each month, post the month of August, has registered a negative growth on YoY basis. China produced about 502 mn tonnes of crude steel but the growth has slowed down to 2.6% as compared to 15.8% recorded in CY 2007 and 18.8% in CY 2006. India remained the fifth-largest crude steel producer, registering a growth of 3.7% on YoY basis.

Domestic Steel Industry
India’s finished steel production has increased from 35.4 mn tonnes in FY 03 to 52.8 mn tonnes in FY 08, registering a CAGR of 8.3%. During the same period, finished steel consumption has grown at an incremental CAGR of 11.9%. Demand of steel in the country has been growing at a multiplication factor of approximate 1.2x-1.3x of the growth rate of the economy. Construction sector in the country is the largest consumer of steel and accounted for about 52% of the total finished steel consumption in FY 08.

India’s exports of finished steel have remained almost stagnant in the range of 4-5 mn tonnes in the past six years. But import of finished steel has grown from 1.5 mn tonnes in FY 03 to 6.5 mn tonnes in FY 08, registering a CAGR of 33.8%. In FY 08, India turned into a net importer of finished steel as country’s import rose by almost 46% on YoY basis.

Input Scenario
India has self sufficiency in iron ore but for coking coal it has to mainly rely on imports. Iron ore production in the country has increased from 123 mn tonnes in FY 04 to 204 mn tonnes in FY 08, registering a CAGR of 13.9%. In FY08, India produced about 204 mn tonnes of iron ore, out of which the country consumed about 100 mn tonnes and 104 mn tonnes of iron ore was exported out of which about 80% of exports were made to China. Country’s coking coal import has increased almost two fold in the past six years. In FY 08, India imported about 22 mn tonnes of coking coal. Coke which can be directly used in BF is also not available in plenty in the country. Imports of coke in the country have increased from 2.2 mn tonnes in FY 03 to 3.8 mn tonnes in FY 07.


http://www.live-pr.com/en/demand-for-indian-steel-is-expected-r1048266157.htm

Mining – International

Asarco shut Texas copper plants this week
Fri Mar 20, 2009 2:34pm EDT

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NEW YORK, March 20 (Reuters) - U.S. copper miner Asarco LLC shut its rod and cake plants in Amarillo, Texas and is planning periodic slowdowns at the copper refinery beginning next week as a response to depressed market conditions, the company said.
Both the rod and cake plants were shut this week, after a reduced work schedule had been implemented in February, according to a notice on the company's Website.
"Starting next week, the refinery will implement one 32-hour workweek at the tankhouse and schedule 32-hour workweeks for the entire month of April at the rod and cake plants," it said.
The company expects to meet all customer orders and will return to normal work schedules if customer demand increases.
"These measures have been necessary to bring production and inventory into line with sales," said Joseph Lapinsky, Asarco president and chief executive officer.
Maintenance shutdowns at Asarco's Hayden copper smelter in Arizona, planned for mid-May to the end of June, will also require Amarillo to modify its work schedules.
The maintenance period will reduce feed material to the Amarillo refinery.
During the maintenance shutdown, the smelter will employ its workers to rebuild the furnace and perform other tasks.
"We are trying very hard to manage through current market and operational conditions with the least impact to our employees," said Lapinsky.
Asarco employs 2,150 at its Arizona operations, where it runs three copper mines, and 350 people at the Amarillo refinery complex.
The company's Website said the Amarillo plant refined 139,781 short tons of copper and 2,501,012 troy ounces of silver in 2006. Current data were not immediately available.
The company spokesman was not immediately available for further details.
Earlier this week, Asarco filed its latest reorganization plan in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in the Southern District of Texas. The revised plan proposes a $1.7 billion deal with India's Sterlite Industries (STRL.BO), a unit of London-listed Vedanta Resources Plc (VED.L), under which Sterlite would sponsor Asarco's reorganization plan.
Asarco filed for bankruptcy protection in 2005 after it was sued for $1 billion over environmental clean-up and asbestos claims.
Grupo Mexico (GMEXICOB.MX), which acquired Asarco in a leveraged buyout in 1999, lacks board control of the company due to the bankruptcy. It has said it maintains interest in taking back control of Asarco. (Reporting by Carole Vaporean; Editing by John Picinich)
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN2049080620090320

Open Letter On Exploiting Bauxite in Vietnam’s Central Highlands
Viet Tan
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March 20, 2009
In recent decades, many countries have to come to regret economic development projects that ignored consequences to the environment. Various adverse health effects to humans, destruction of natural habitats and plant life, have necessitated a new definition of development. Today, there is a widespread consensus around sustainable development , to address the needs of the present while ensuring a productive tomorrow and without creating burdens for future generations.
The communist regime of Vietnam is bucking this understanding by its disregard for a serious threat to the country’s present and future generations.
For over three years, the politburo of the Communist Party has been quietly cooperating with China to exploit bauxite in Dak Nong and Lam Dong provinces in Vietnam’s central highlands. Only when this situation came to light did prime minister Nguyen Tan Dung acknowledge that the bauxite plans were a major policy of the party and state. In a press conference on February 4, 2009, he announced that a conference would be held to explore the consequences of bauxite mining.
These events demonstrate how the Hanoi leadership took a decision with major impact on the lives of millions of citizens in the central highlands and along the Dong Nai river basin without a proper scientific study or consideration to the lessons learned from other countries.

Head offices for the bauxite ventures in Dak Nong and Lam Dong provinces
Head offices for the bauxite ventures in Dak Nong and Lam Dong provinces
As a result, many Vietnamese researchers have spoken out, raising the following issues:
• Low economic benefit from an overall national standpoint. The central highlands currently lack electricity, water and transportation infrastructure. Thus, the costs of mining and processing bauxite in Vietnam would not be competitive with operations in Australia or India, and would only make Vietnam dependent on China which is the intended export market.
• Significant environmental risk. The sheer amount of red sludge, the toxic waste from processing bauxite, would wipe out significant animal and plant life in the affected areas. Furthermore, rainwater would wash the toxic sludge into waterways throughout the central highlands and down into Vietnam’s southern region.
• Lack of a cleanup solution. Currently there is no cost effective way to clean up red sludge. Because of this, many countries no longer allow bauxite processing. Australia stores the red sludge in the desert where there is little rainfall and no inhabitants. Even China has accepted the need to close many bauxite mines and to look elsewhere for its needs.
• Negative economic impact. Pollution of rivers from red sludge would impact forestry and cultivation of coffee, rubber, tea, pepper, cashew and other crops. Once these costs are factored in, the bauxite scheme brings no benefit to the people of Vietnam overall, but only serves to enrich a small group of officials directly associated with the project.
• Heavy burden on many people. Millions of residents in the central highlands, especially ethnic minorities, will lose lands that sustain their livelihoods and unique cultures and/or face health problems for many years to come. Tens of millions people along the Dong Nai river and Tri An lake are potential victims as well.
The environmental destruction from bauxite mining does not differentiate among ethnic groups, poor and rich, religious affiliation or political viewpoints. This danger affects the whole country and could be passed onto future generations. This is a peril for the entire Vietnamese people.
Responsibility for creating this peril lays with each member of the communist leadership.
If it really believes the decision to mine and process bauxite in the central highlands is justified, the Politburo ought to suspend the project until the country has an opportunity to fully hear and read about the costs and benefits of the project, as well as learn from the experiences of other nations.
Given this situation, we in Viet Tan intend to:
• Contribute to bringing maximum information to light on the shadowy bauxite cooperation in the central highlands between the Hanoi government and China. We call on residents and workers in Nhan Co, Bao Lam and other areas with bauxite operations to pass along details regarding the affects on the environment and the names of the responsible government officials.
• Support Vietnamese scientists in their research and efforts to raise public awareness on the risk of bauxite processing. We especially urge and support medical professionals to prepare public education materials to mitigate the health risks.
• Urge international environmental organizations and human rights groups to pressure the Hanoi government to cease the bauxite projects. We encourage the legal community to consider possible actions against those responsible for wrecking the enviromental damage.
Contact:
Duy Hoang +1 (202) 470-1678

http://www.viettan.org/spip.php?article8408


Uranium extraction to start in 2011- Ngeleja

2009-03-21 12:00:42
By Patrick Kisembo
Tanzania accented its nuclear ambitions yesterday, saying plans were underway to start uranium extraction ready for the country to revert to one of the world`s highly rated renewable energies.

Energy and Minerals minister, William Ngeleja made the revelation when answering journalists` questions at a news conference he called in Dar es Salaam yesterday to introduce the new mining consultative committee.

``We expect to start extracting uranium in three years. This is a great opportunity and we welcome investors in uranium mining,`` he said.

Energy and Water Utilities Regulatory Authority (Ewura) Acting director general Anastas Mbawala reacting to the minister`s pronouncement, said that mining and subsequently setting up a uranium processing industry is not an easy job.

``It needs a lot of consideration; but I think the government can sell the uranium without processing it,`` he said.

He also said if an investor wanted to set up a processing industry in the country, the authority would ensure that he met all the conditions including expertise, safety, environment and radiation control issues before providing him with a license.

He said uranium becomes more dangerous when it was processed into a form of radiation.

In January this year, Ngeleja was quoted as saying already the government had contracted 20 companies to explore uranium deposits that could be used in producing nuclear energy.

Ngeleja said in case it was found that Tanzania had sufficient uranium for electricity generation, the government would embark on it, observing international laws on atomic energy use.

Members of the mining consultative committee include the Chairman Maj. General (rtd) Godfrey Mang`enya, former justice of the military court, appointed by President Kikwete.

Other members include Erick Mugurusi, Permanent Secretary Ministry of Environment, Vice President`s Office, Joseph Stanley from the ministry of Lands, Housing and Human Settlement, Dr Philip Mpango, deputy PS Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs, Maria Kejo from the office of the Attorney General, Richard Kasesera from the private sector, Esther Nyawazwa, member of parliament and one member who is yet to be appointed from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Marketing.

Meanwhile, minister Ngeleja said Tanzania had not been hit hard by the global economic crisis on the gold mining sector partly because of having many gold mines. Tanzania is the third largest gold producer in Africa.

``The global economic crisis is there, but we are doing well in the gold mining sector. As of now the price of gold has not dropped,`` said the minister.

He said the mineral sector was among the sectors that were growing fastest since the sector was established in 1997.
He said in 2008 the sector grew by 10.7 per cent up from 7.7 per cent previously.

He also pointed out that the government had earned USD 78 million in revenues through large scale mining in ten years, an average of USD7.8million annually from a previous USD2million.
http://ippmedia.com/ipp/guardian/2009/03/21/133802.html


limestone mining in coastal areas

Published: Friday, March 20, 2009 at 6:49 a.m.
Last Modified: Friday, March 20, 2009 at 8:53 a.m.
Titan Cement may bring additional jobs to our area for the initial construction. Mostly it will bring more people to our area to work in the cement plant and the limestone mining operation. And they will all expect to drink water.
The quarrying of the limestone will extract millions of gallons of water daily from the Castle Hayne and Pee Dee aquifers. These underground aquifers are the source of drinking water for the years to come for our region.
Stalling for time so that legislators and others can examine the effects of large scale limestone mining may be the only hope for stopping this threat to the water supply. But the effects of limestone mining on underground aquifers in sensitive coastal area can be seen in only a few minutes. Anybody with access to a computer and a search engine can review what has happened in Florida, including a Titan mining operation that has (been accused of contaminating) underground aquifers with benzene through blasting operations. It's well known that salt water intrusion occurs when massive amounts of fresh water are pulled out of underground aquifers.
When underground and surface waters are contaminated and the unique wild river habitat along the Northeast Cape Fear is gone, it's gone forever. It isn't "anti-growth" to try to preserve the drinking water and the precious wetlands that sustain what is attractive about our area. I urge all citizens to recognize the value of clean air and drinkable water to our health and prosperity.
Earla Jean Pope
Wrightsboro (community just south of Castle Hayne)
http://www.starnewsonline.com/article/20090320/LETTERS/903209998/1107/OPINION?Title=limestone-mining-in-coastal-areas


Govt to table mining bill April By Levina Kato

Tanzania hopes to profit more from mining if a new bill is endorsed.
Energy and Minerals minister William Ngeleja said the Government would earn more revenues if amendments are approved.

He was launching an eight-member Mining Advisory Committee in Dar es Salaam yesterday.

It will peg the corporation tax at 30 per cent and the royalty at five per cent.

Reliable sources said the draft bill is at the cabinet level and could be tabled in Parliament next month.

The bill is expected to be approved by the House in June.

He said the recommendations by previous mining advisory committees and other stakeholders would be incorporated into the new mining policy, legislation and regulations.

Pertinent issues which the Government seeks to address include the integration of the mining industry into other sectors of the economy.

Other changes will be on improving the tax system, providing reasonable compensations to people who are being evicted to pave the way for mining activities and public service to people surrounding mining areas.

The changes would also address environmental conservation issues and lay down sustainable programmes to mitigate negative impacts of mining activities upon ending operations in respective areas.

The advisory committee is headed by a retired judge of the court martial, Maj-Gen Godfrey Mang'enya.

The members are Mr Eric Mugurusi of the Vice-President's Office (Environment), Mr Joseph Stanley of the Ministy of Lands, Housing and Human Settlements Development, Dr Phillip Mpango of the Treasury and Ms Maria Kejo of the Attorney General's Chambers.

Others are Mr Richard Kasesera of the private sector, Ms Esther Nyawazwa (MP special seats - Mwanza) and a representative from the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Marketing.

Mr Ngeleja said the country still hoped to benefit from gold mining since mineral prices had not been affected by the global economic downturn.
He said said the Government had continued to attract more investors in mining.

There are at least 70 applications for licensing in uranium exploration.
"Tanzania will soon or later start mining uranium," he said.

The mining sector has grown from 7.7 to 10.7 per cent in the past 10 years, while revenues rose from $2 million (Sh2.6 billion) to $78 million (Sh9 billion).

http://thecitizen.co.tz/newe.php?id=11454

Appalachia’s Agony
Published: March 16, 2009
The longstanding disgrace of mountaintop mining is now squarely in President Obama’s hands.
A recent court decision has given the green light to as many as 90 mountaintop mining projects in Appalachia’s coal-rich hills, which in turn could destroy more than 200 miles of valleys and streams on top of the 1,200 miles that have already been obliterated. The right course for the administration is clear: stop the projects until the underlying regulations are revised so as to end the practice altogether.
Mountaintop mining is just what the name suggests. Enormous machines — bulldozers and draglines — scrape away mountain ridges to expose the coal seams below. The coal is then trucked away, and the leftover rock and dirt are dumped into adjacent valleys and streams.
Both John McCain and Barack Obama vowed to end the practice during the 2008 campaign — even though no recent administration, Democratic or Republican, has been willing to take on Robert Byrd, West Virginia’s senior senator, or the coal companies, which insist without proof that there is no other cost-effective way to dispose of the waste.
There is a long and tortured legal history surrounding mountaintop mining, but the essential question is this: Is dumping mine waste into streams a violation of the federal Clean Water Act?
On its face the answer is yes, but various regulatory maneuvers have allowed this practice to proceed. The worst of these was a 2002 rule by the Bush administration that in effect removed mining waste from the list of the law’s prohibited pollutants. The rule has made it easy for the Army Corps of Engineers to issue mining permits and hard for the courts to deny them.
A bipartisan group of 119 members of the House recently reintroduced legislation that would redefine mining waste as a pollutant. In so doing, Congress would reassert the original intent of the Clean Water Act and end the practice of dumping waste in valleys and streams. Until that bill becomes law — if, indeed, it ever does — a great deal more damage could occur in Appalachia. Two companies that have been awaiting the court’s go-ahead have now said that they will resume mining operations.
The Obama White House can prevent that damage. Under the law, the Corps of Engineers can suspend the mining permits in the public interest. This in turn would give the administration time to review the rules and issue new ones that would be more protective of the environment. But the Corps of Engineers, always reluctant to reverse itself and historically friendly to industry, will not act without orders from on high.
Mr. Obama promised to find better ways of mining coal “than simply blowing the tops off mountains.” The time to do so is now.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/16/opinion/16mon2.html?_r=1


Oman: Prospects of Mining Wealth
Oman is rich in various natural resources which are just waiting to be tapped
Visvas Paul D Karra (paul_true)
Published 2009-03-21 10:35 (KST)

Oman's mining history dates back to pre-Islamic days when copper was mined and sent all over the world. The country was then known as Majan or the land of copper. Cut back to the present days and you will realise that the Sultanate of Oman is still sitting on a "gold-mine" of minerals. Despite the prices of commodities having gone down, private and public sector investments in this largely untapped non-hydrocarbon resource is expected to draw benefits for the country as a whole.

Some of Oman's main mineral resources include chromite, dolomite, zinc, limestone, gypsum, silicon, copper, gold, cobalt and iron. Several industries have grown up around them as part of the national development process which, in turn, have boosted the mineral sector's contribution to the nation's GDP as well as providing jobs for Omanis.

But for a country blessed with bountiful mineral wealth -- surpassing even that of its oil-rich partners, Oman progress in this direction is very slow. The focus remained on traditionally mined deposits -- marble, gypsum, limestone, industrial salt, chromites, gold, and building materials -- with little evidence that other veritable hoards would be tapped anytime soon.

The setting up of the Mineral Development of Oman (MDO) in March 2008, however, could prove to be the bedrock upon which the mineral sector could be firmly built upon. MDO has a range of partners, including private sector firms and the Directorate General of Minerals, to encourage and direct investments in industrial-grade mineral mining in the country. The Directorate General is a government body charged with ensuring the sustainable development of Oman's mineral resources, and its participation is indicative of the government's enthusiasm, and should ensure that it follows the diversification plans. MDO has brought a new dynamism to the mining sector, and has lost little time in bringing its weight to bear on the sector. On June 10, the group's first special purpose vehicle, Manar Carbonates was launched. Manar will produce ground calcium carbonates and precipitated carbonates from the Sultanate's ample limestone deposits.

Mineral City

Setting the pace for the mining sector is Takamul Investment Company, a majority Omani government-owned investment vehicle, which has an ambitious plan to establish a "Minerals City" in the Sultanate to serve as a hub for a number of minerals based downstream processing projects.

The Mineral City will initially house three major minerals derivatives projects which will begin their operations within the next three years. These will be a magnesium-ferrosilicon project (estimated cost: $250 million); a 40,000-tonne capacity silicon carbide processing facility ($40 million); and a $450 million project for a salt/soda ash project.

The magnesium-ferrosilicon project will be developed in a joint venture with a foreign partner while the salt/soda ash project is planned in partnership with the Tata group, the Indian business conglomerate. Further, SNAM Abrasives of India along with Takamul will develop a 40,000-tonne capacity silicon carbide processing facility.

Details of when and where this mineral city will become operational are still not available. Meanwhile, officials of the ministry of commerce and industry, which has a director general of minerals also remained tightlipped and have not divulged any details on what their role is in developing this Mineral City.

Increase in Exports

In 2007 export of mineral products was about $1.17 billion while the value of base metals and articles manufactured from base metals reached about $310 million. There was a significant increase in mineral production in 2007 as compared to 2006. Exports of chromium ores and concentrates increased by 634 percent to about $52 million; while that of copper ore went up by about 300 percent; gold also increased by about 140 percent; and sulfur by an estimated 25 percent. The significant increases of copper ore were attributed to a full year of production at the new copper mines of National Mining Co.

"While it is true that minerals will supplement the oil and gas revenues in Oman, we have to be really optimistic to feel buoyant about mines and minerals in Oman at this juncture because there is a steep drop in commodity prices all over the world. But it is a storm that we can hopefully weather," says Hafidh Soud Al Busaidi, CEO of National Mining Company (NMC), the copper mining in the Sultanate.

Established in 1998, NMC was able to realise actual revenues only in the last few years with its production reaching upto 60,000 tons of concentrate in 2008. The company, which has copper mines at Shinas and Hatta, has also found copper deposits at Ghuzayn. National Mining, part of the MB Holding Group, is planning to do more mineral exploration in other areas for copper, gold and other minerals as well. Presently, NMC produces around 180-200 tons per day of copper concentrate at its plant. This is equivalent to about 50 tons of pure copper per day.

According to Al-Busaidi, mining has a bright future and holds a lot of potential. But it is difficult to make profit at the present juncture due to the low commodity prices, he says while pointing out that mining is not for the "weak at heart."

"The government should differentiate between the serious and non-serious mining companies and support serious people like our company. Despite the drop in commodity prices and demand for our product, we have so far not laid off any people. There are nearly 300 Omani employees who are dependent upon us and we have a social responsibility towards them," underscores Al-Busaidi while talking about the present market conditions.

International Exposure

The setting up of Vale Oman, a subsidiary of Brazil-based Vale International, a new entrant into the mineral market of Oman has put the Sultanate firmly on the mineral map of the world.

Vale Oman is constructing a pelletising plant in Sohar for production of 9 million tons per year of direct reduction pellets and a distribution centre with capacity to handle 40 million tons per year. The project is planned to kick start by the end of 2010. The total capital expenditure budget for Vale's project is $1.35 billion, with investments of $458 million for 2009. Representatives of Vale in an email statement say that since the port of Sohar is a deep water harbour and strategically located along the busy corridor of the shipping lanes, it matches with Vale's plans for growth.

The plant in Sohar is expected to be commissioned by the end of 2010. Officials are hopeful that the high-grade pellets from their Sohar plant will supply the direct reduction facilities of the steel industry in the Middle East, North Africa and other relevant markets.

Vale has signed a framework agreement with Oman Shipping Company (OSC) to lease four giant ships to transport the iron ore from the extraction areas in Brazil to their plant in Sohar Port. The agreement was signed during the visit of HE Ahmed bin Abdulnabi Macki Minister of National Economy & Deputy Chairman of the Financial Affairs & Energy Resources Council; and Maqbool bin Ali bin Sultan, Minister of Commerce and Industry and Chairman of Oman Oil company (OOC), in November. OSC will build four giant ships to transport the iron ore from Brazil to Vale's plant in Sohar.

Apart from the pelletising plant, Vale has employed a geologist to work in their Oman Office to do exploration work for minerals. He will be discussing with local authorities to make an agreement with them in order to better understand which minerals are available here and to prepare a master plan for potential development.

Infrastructure and Logistics




Dr V Rangaiah, general manager, Al Nebras International Services Co (NISCO)


The growing demand for Oman's minerals has prompted many companies to float either subsidiaries or joint ventures for exploration and mining of the vast resources available in Oman. Dr V Rangaiah, general manager, Al Nebras International Services Co (NISCO), says that there is a lot of scope for local entrepreneurs to have joint ventures with foreign investors for excavating and exporting of minerals because Oman presently lacks the type of technology and skilled labour to launch big-time into the mining sector. NISCO is the marketing arm of the Al Amri Group which owns the Muscat Chromite Company.

Muscat Chromite produces over 50,000 million tons of chrome ore per month and NISCO markets this in India and China. The company achieved a turnover of nearly $20 million in the year gone by. NISCO also markets manganese, iron, lime stone and gypsum are other products from their partner mines in Iran. Oman's mineral resources could provide the second largest revenues, next to the oil and gas sector but the government has to be choosy in identifying companies and entrepreneurs who have the capacity and capability in this line, said Dr Rangaiah.

Since there is so much potential in the mineral industry, the government should also provide the required infrastructure and logistic support to develop this sector. A pressing need of the hour is a dedicated sea port for exporting minerals. This could be set up in the Batinah region as the existing ports are not equipped for mining operations, Dr Rangaiah said.

Value addition mechanisms like beneficiation and processing plants combined with sustainable mining leads to not only immediate economic benefits for the people but will bring in long term benefits.

http://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?no=384957&rel_no=1

Law would end mountaintop coal mining
Nashville Business Journal
State legislators joined members of a faith-based environmental group today at a press conference launching a campaign to end the practice of mountaintop removal coal mining in Tennessee.
Creation Care organization Lindquist Environmental Appalachian Fellowship, known as LEAF, kicked off its “Only God Should Move Mountains,” campaign on Legislative Plaza.
A bill moving through the legislature known as the Tennessee Scenic Vistas Protection Act, would prohibit surface coal mining that alters or disturbs ridge lines at elevations higher than 2,000 feet above sea level.
High-elevation surface coal mining is a method of extracting coal from mountains by using explosives to provide easy access to coal seams, but irreparably damaging the mountain.
“As Christians, we are told through scripture to enjoy and respect God’s Creation,” Dawn Coppock, legislative director of LEAF, says in a press release. “Blowing up mountains for an extremely small amount of coal forever damages God’s handiwork, and we must put an end to it. Man should not permanently alter Creation.”
Senate sponsor Bill Ketron, R-Murfreesboro, was joined by House sponsors Rep. Bill Dunn, R-Knoxville and Rep. Michael Ray McDonald, D-Portland, at the press event to show support for LEAF’s effort and to address the significance of a bill that is drawing support from both sides of the political aisle.
Sen. Doug Jackson, D-Dickson, is also sponsoring the bill, but did not attend the press event.
“Some issues surpass political affiliations, and this is certainly the case for the issue of mountaintop removal,” Ketron says in the release. “While I respect the coal industry in Tennessee, it needs to be done using responsible methods. The consequences of high-elevation surface mining far outweigh the benefits.”
http://nashville.bizjournals.com/nashville/stories/2009/03/16/daily23.html


Students fight mountain top removal
Taylor Hartley
Issue date: 3/19/09 Section: News
For several years, ETSU students have participated in an unusual Spring Break ritual. Instead of joining their classmates on road trips, they have been participating in community service and social justice activities.
This year, eight ETSU students traveled to Knoxville to participate in Mountain Justice Spring Break (MJSB).
These ETSU students, and the hundreds of others who joined them at MJSB, hope to be the solution to the destruction of East Tennessee's most prominent natural landforms for which the area is known: the mountains.
These mountains are in danger because of the mountain top removal mining of coal corporations. After the mountains are desecrated, small amounts of coal, only 5 percent of the nation's energy supply, are extracted.
"Our goal for MJSB is to educate, empower, organize and activate students and youth to take action year round to stop mountain top removal mining and create the space to build sustainable and vibrant economies in its place," said Cody Baker, media consultant for Mountain Justice.
While at Mountain Justice Spring Break, the alternative spring-breakers visited the coal ash spill in Kingston, toured mountain top removal sites, visited Broadened Horizon's Organic Farm, conducted water monitoring in Clearfork Community Institute, served at Camp Buc Toms and attended educational workshops.
"We saw the barren and crumbled remains of former mountains, and the poisoned water and lack of life the coal industry has left behind," said Daniel Maurer, ETSU graduate student in history. "When you see the neon green and orange water, you'll understand. When you see families living, playing and eating within feet of toxic sludge containing poisonous heavy metals like arsenic, selenium and mercury, then you'll understand. But without seeing, it all seems like a nightmare scenario - the sort of thing you hear about in underdeveloped nations, not in Tennessee."
Alternative Spring Break is sponsored by ETSU's Community Service Programs.
"To be honest, after participating in one alternative spring break trip, I can't really imagine spending my spring break any other way," said Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, ETSU senior and third-time alternative spring break participant.

http://media.www.easttennessean.com/media/storage/paper203/news/2009/03/19/News/Students.Fight.Mountain.Top.Removal-3676006.shtml

Safety feds target mining operations
Fifteen mining operations need to clean up their health and safety practices or face stricter enforcement, the federal Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) said this week.
The agency said the 13 coal mines, a dirt processing plant, and a gold mine consistently have had “significant and substantial” violations that could have caused serious injuries or illnesses.
“Hopefully, these operations will use this opportunity to incorporate needed improvements into their safety and health programs,” said Michael Davis, MSHA deputy assistant secretary for operations.
Those mining operations need to create plans that will reduce violations, officials said. Additionally, the operations will undergo close monitoring by health and safety inspectors for 90 days. If they improve, MSHA said they will not go on the list as having a pattern of violations, which leads to greater scrutiny and tougher disciplinary action.
Among other things, the designation allows MSHA to interrupt production by ordering workers to leave a mine until officials correct a serious violation.
The agency has issued similar warnings to more than 40 U.S. mining operations since mid-2007, including 16 last June. Those mines reduced their serious violation rates, MSHA said.
Among the operations warned are two mines and a processing plant controlled by Richmond, Va.-based Massey Energy Co., the nation’s fourth-largest coal producer by revenue.
Massey issued a statement saying they were able to correct problems after receiving warnings in the past.
The agency also singled out Richmond, Va.-based James River Coal Co. about its Blue Diamond Coal Co.’s mine No. 77.
Hidden Splendor Resources Inc. is also on the list for violations at the Horizon mine 11 miles west of Helper, Utah, according to MSHA.
“We have had problems with the mine and are taking measures to improve things,” said Dan Baker, chief executive of Salt Lake City-based America West Resources Inc., the parent company of Hidden Splendor.
Five of the mines are in Kentucky, four in West Virginia, three in Virginia, and one in Utah. The agency also warned the dirt processing plant in California and a Nevada gold mine.
http://www.isa.org/InTechTemplate.cfm?Section=Technology_Update1&template=/ContentManagement/ContentDisplay.cfm&ContentID=75059

Other News – India

Brazil Indians gain land victory



Indians celebrated the ruling as a confirmation of land rights they were granted in 1988 [AFP]

The Amazon's indigenous groups have won a major victory with Brazil's Supreme Court upholding the integrity of a vast native reserve.
Friday's ruling paves the way for the expulsion of white farmers living in the Raposa Serra do Sol reserve the government created in 2005.
The court voted 10-1 against a petition by two senators who wanted the 17,000 square kilometre area in the north of the country reduced in size.
Dozens of brightly painted Indians celebrated the decision outside the court in the capital Brasilia.
"Without a doubt, it's a victory for Brazil, its international image, human rights and the Indian people," Marcio Meira, chairman of Funai, the government agency for
indigenous affairs, said.
Supporters see the ruling as a confirmation of land rights that Brazil's indigenous groups were granted in the 1988 constitution.
'Obstacle to growth'
Critics say the reserve, with an area the size of Kuwait, is too big for the 19,000 Indians who will have the sole right to live there and work the land.
Some mining, timber and agriculture businesses say it is an obstacle to growth.
Rice farmers who settled on the land before it became a reserve and who will now be expelled, mocked the decision.
"This is ridiculous, they're voting against progress," one of them said.


Not all Indians are happy with the court ruling [Reuters]
A land dispute has raged since the 1970s between Indians and businesses who seek to use the land for farming and mining.
Farmers clashed with Indians on several occasions last year.
Some Indians who wanted their towns excluded from the reserve for fear they would be cut off from modernity, were not happy with the court's decision.
"We want to continue doing business with the white man. They want us to be primitive Indians, but we're civilised," Caetano Raposa, 65, who travelled 2,700km from the reserve to hear the ruling, said.
Others warned that a single reserve could not accommodate rival Indians of the same ethnicity, driven apart over decades by outsiders.
"The church, settlers, NGOs [non-governmental organisations] - they all divided our people," Abel Barbosa, a Macuxi Indian from the town of Flechao, said.
"There will be more blood shed in that land."
Brazil, the largest country in South America, has set aside 12 per cent of its territory for reserves for native groups whose ancestors lived in the country before the arrival of Europeans around 500 years ago.
The indigenous population was decimated by the arrival of Portuguese settlers, notably as a result of diseases the immigrants brought with them, such as tuberculosis, against which tribal groups had no defence.
According to Funai, their number has decreased from 10 million to 460,000. The total population of Brazil is 190 million people.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2009/03/2009320143655413809.html

Over 4 lakh applications received under RTI in Maharashtra
Mumbai (PTI): With over 4.16 lakh applications received under the Right to Information (RTI), Maharashtra has become the first state to receive four lakh plus queries under RTI, more than the number in countries like Britain and Mexico.
"Maharashtra received 4,16,090 applications under RTI last year, whereas in Britain 60,000 queries and in Mexico 94,000 queries were filed under the RTI," a report released by the State Information Commission said.
The state implemented the Act from October 2005 before the Centre promulgated it. The Act became so popular that the state got 1,23,000 queries in 2006, and the number went to 3,16,000 in 2007, the report said.
Elaborating on the applications received by various state Government departments, the report quoted the department of Urban Development has received the highest number of questions (1,04,766) followed by Revenue Department (70,419) Home Department (45,363) and the least applications in Forest Department (9,676).
The Government replied to 3,97,662 applications last year. The Government has also collected Rs 76.67 lakh as the application fee. No fee is charged for applicants below poverty line, it said.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/004200903201422.htm

Govt undertakes massive programme to save forests in India
Mar 21
The government has undertaken a massive programme to create awareness to protect the dwindling forest cover in the country.

Inaugurating a function to mark the World Forestry Day celebration in New Delhi on Saturday, the Environment and Forests Secretary, Mr. Vijay Sharma called for planting of more saplings to reduce the harmful effects of Green House Gases directly affecting the Climate Change.

Mr Sharma underlined the need for involving school children in a big way in the awareness campaigns. He cautioned that if deforestation continued, a day may come when there will be no greenery leading to ecological imbalance.

AIR correspondence reports that India has lost 29 tigers in less than three months.

Ten have died in Kaziranga sanctuary in Assam and seven in Kanha in Madhya Pradesh.

The Ministry has sent teams of Wildlife Crime Bureau and National Tiger Conservation Authority to investigate the cause of deaths of tigers.

Tito Joseph the officer of Wildlife Protection society of India in a report said that many of these deaths have been the result of territorial fights caused by the degradation of habitat.

Sachin Tendulkar the Indian criketer has also supported the Save Tiger campaign.

http://www.newsonair.com/news.asp?cat=national&id=NN5942

SEZ growth slows as economic crisis hits
Written by NGUON SOVAN AND CHUN SOPHAL
Friday, 20 March 2009

With the global downturn hitting Cambodia’s manufacturing, the Kingdom's special economic zones are stalling plans for expansion, officials say.


Photo by: KAY KIMSONG


The Phnom Penh Special Economic Zone, located 8 kilometres from the Phnom Penh international airport. Many of the country’s SEZ’s are feeling the effects of the slowdown, forcing delays.
DEVELOPERS and officials said Thursday that the global financial crisis has slowed the development of the country's special economic zones (SEZs), dealing a new blow to an already struggling sector.

Cambodia's 21 licensed SEZs had trouble attracting investment even before the economic crisis hit and officials say the recession could lead to delays or closures.

Larry Kao, managing director of the Manhattan Special Economic Zone in Svey Rieng province, said the facility is operating far below capacity.

"Before the crisis, there were six investors in the zone, but since the onset of the crisis, we have seen only one more large factory invest."

Located on the Vietnam border, it was expected to boost bilateral trade.

Development of the Manhattan SEZ began in 2005 and phase one has been completed, including a main road, sub-roads, public lighting, drainage and a water system.

The project is now going to phase two, which includes a commercial section.

He said that seven factories have been operating in the zone since 2006, employing 4,500 workers, producing bicycles, hardware, shoes, garments and wetsuits.

Kao said that development may have to be moved back by two years from the original target date of 2010.
________________________________________
Our main problem is that there are no new investors in our SEZ.
________________________________________

"Investment in the zone is moving slowly, but it is not at a standstill," he said.

"We planned to finish the development within five years, but due to the crisis, it could be up to two years behind schedule."
He said that the zone will be capable of housing 30 factories employing up to 15,000 workers.

Chieng An, governor of Svay Rieng province, said he expected Manhattan SEZ would be hit by the slowdown.
"Manhattan SEZ is a foreign investment, so it has branches internationally. It is inevitable that it will suffer from the crisis, and it's impressive that it has held up as well as it has."

Delayed projects
Duong Tech, general manager of Duong Chhiv Group, which is developing a US$100 million special economic zone in Takeo province on the border with Vietnam, agreed that the crisis will slow development.

"The master plan says we will complete the project by 2015, but due to the current crisis, it will take longer than that," said Duong Tech.

"Our main problem is that there are no new investors in our SEZ. If there are investors interested in the zone, we will speed up our development, but if there are no investors, we will be more hesitant."

He said that since receiving government approval in 2006, only 10 percent of the infrastructure has been developed.
Kong Triv, the owner of the SNC SEZ in Preah Sihanouk province, also said that the crisis has hurt development plans.
The SEZ received its licence in 2002 with an initial investment of $14 million on a 150-hectare plot.

"We have no plans to develop the special economic zone," said Kong Triv, declining to give additional details.
A senior official at the Council of the Development of Cambodia said that SEZ development has slowed, but that he expects a swift recovery.

"It is normal that a downturn will affect SEZs - there is always an impact on investors' budgets, but SEZs should focus on the long term to position themselves for a recovery," said a senior official in charge of Cambodia's Special Economic Zones, who asked not to be named.

"Currently, there are 21 special economic zones in Cambodia, but only six are actively being developed," the official said.

http://www.phnompenhpost.com/index.php/2009032024905/Business/SEZ-growth-slows-as-economic-crisis-hits.html


Nalco Foundation Recognizes World Water Day With $100,000 Grant to Water For People
Fri. March 20, 2009; Posted: 04:00 PM
NAPERVILLE, Ill., Mar 20, 2009 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- NLC | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- Water is an essential element of life, yet more than 20 percent of the world's population lacks access to safe drinking water. Many of those who have access to clean water still lack proper sanitation, leading to more than five million deaths each year from water-related diseases. Nalco Company (NYSE :NLC), which provides essential expertise for water, energy and air, is helping industry reduce its use of precious freshwater supplies through a variety of programs that improve the operation of boilers and cooling systems at more than 70,000 customer locations worldwide.
In recognition of the United Nations' annual World Water Day on March 22, The Nalco Foundation is building on these efforts by providing an additional $100,000 grant to Water For People, an international agency that focuses on increasing access to safe drinking water and on preventing water- or sanitation-related illnesses.
Since 2004, The Nalco Foundation has provided more than $250,000 to fund Water For People projects in Malawi, Honduras, Guatemala, Bolivia and India. In addition, Mary Kay Kaufmann, Nalco's Chief Marketing Officer, has been elected to the Water For People Board of Directors .
"Water is clearly a quality of life issue, especially in developing countries . Access to safe drinking water and improved sanitation is a critical way to break a vicious cycle of disease that helps breed poverty," said Laurie Marsh, President of the Nalco Foundation. "Supporting Water For People provides both improved health in the developing world and gives people the time to pursue economic opportunity and improve their standard of living."
The Foundation grant will support Water For People's school-based water, sanitation and hygiene promotion program in India. The focus of the program is 15 schools in East Medinipur, India, and includes the construction of drinking water stations and sanitary blocks for the schools' students. It also teaches and mobilizes both students and their parents to change their behaviors to improve sanitation and to encourage the improvement of water and sanitation facilities throughout the area.
Nalco Company continually works to provide solutions to reduce water and energy usage. In 2008 its 3D TRASAR(r) Technology for Cooling Water won a United States Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award in acknowledgment of its ability to improve cooling system operations. 3D TRASAR Technology for Cooling Water saved an estimated 63 billion gallons of water in 2008.
About World Water Day
The international observance of World Water Day originated with the 1992 United Nations Conference on Environment and Development (UNCED) in Rio de Janeiro. For more information, visit www.unwater.org/worldwaterday.
About Water For People
Water For People is a non-profit international development organization founded in 1991 to help people in developing countries improve their quality of life by supporting the development of locally sustainable drinking water resources, sanitation facilities, and health and hygiene education programs. For more information, visit http://www.waterforpeople.org.
About Nalco
Nalco is the world's leading water treatment and process improvement company, delivering significant environmental, social and economic performance benefits to our customers. We help our customers reduce energy, water and other natural resource consumption, enhance air quality, minimize environmental releases and improve productivity and end products while boosting the bottom line. Together our comprehensive solutions contribute to the sustainable development of customer operations. Nalco is a member of the Dow Jones Sustainability World Index. More than 11,500 Nalco employees operate in 130 countries supported by a comprehensive network of manufacturing facilities, sales offices and research centers to serve a broad range of end markets. In 2008, Nalco achieved sales of more than $4.2 billion. For more information visit www.nalco.com.
http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/Stock%20News/2233369/


Global Warming Effects Causes Further Climate Change
Climate change is caused by global warming and responsible for expanding deserts and intense storms. A recent study suggests that up to 30 percent of all animals and plants are facing rapid extinction.
By Mary Smith
Published: Mar 21, 2009 00:52 AM GMT
Updated: Mar 21, 2009 05:12 AM GMT



Climate change is very real, according to top scientists who are studying the current conditions caused by global warming. This current generation is watching more changes than any previous on Earth. A team of scientists at Stanford University discovered that greenhouse gas emissions increased far more rapidly than they expected.
"We now have data showing that from 2000 to 2007, greenhouse gas emissions increased far more rapidly than we expected," Chris Field, who was lead author of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, said in a statement.
The Nobel-winning IPCC issued a report over a year ago based on data from 2000 to 2007. The critical report suggested that changes to the planet are continuing at a high rate of drought, more intense storms, and rising sea levels. Scientists fear that if global warming is not slowed, changes could spin out of control and might become irreversible.
"We don't want to cross a critical threshold where this massive release of carbon starts to run on autopilot," Field said.
Global warming effects responsible for climate change are mainly caused by developing countries.
The Industrial Revolution has released over 350 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Developing countries including China and India use coal for most of their electric power generation. This method releases carbon dioxide but there might be new technologies developing to burn cleaner fuel for power plants, that's if the developing countries agree to use it.
The Arctic is the fastest warming area on the planet and there could be as much as 1,000 tons of carbon dioxide released from permafrost soils in the Arctic this year. Deforestation could also increase the concentration of carbon dioxide in the air by 10 to 100 parts per mission over the next 100 years. Carbon dioxide levels today are near 380 parts per million levels.
Global warming could also be reducing the ocean's ability to store carbon by altering wind patterns. Scientists are concerned with the Southern Ocean as winds and CO2 water levels are changing. Faster winds are generated over the oceans surrounding Antarctica as the Earth warms.
"These winds essentially blow the surface water out of the way, allowing water with higher concentrations of CO2 to rise to the surface. This higher-CO2 water is closer to CO2-saturated, so it takes up less carbon dioxide from the atmosphere," Field said.
Is Climate Change part of the Earth's regular cycle?
While most people believe that global warming is not a myth, they do not believe that sudden changes in weather and climate will be in their current generation. Other scientists believe that the climate changes are part of the Earth's regular cycle. However, those cycles are usually slow and take thousands, if not millions, of years to complete.
Climate change is noticeable through parts of the world as wildfires in California, Florida, and now parts of Australia are occurring. Hurricanes are becoming fiercer and stronger than before, and parts of the Midwest are seeing Tornados in the middle of winter. Scientists predict that the fifth assessment of global warming in 2014 will make the 2007 report seem very conservative.
http://www.newsoxy.com/global-warming/article11778.html