20/05/09

Mining – India 1
1. Indian government gives go ahead to controversial Vedanta mine in Orissa 1
2. CIL may urge new government to hike coal price 2
3. Maoists’ strike hits life, iron ore movement in Chhattisgarh 3
4. Iron ore prices expected to decline soon 3
5. Vedanta plans copper plant in UAE, to double gold-refining capacity 4
Mining – International 5
6. Mindanao group pushes alternative mining bill 5
7. Mining methods harmful to environment 7
8. Eritrea awards more mining licences 7
9. Ministry denies granting permission for sand mining 9
10. Namibia digging in on mining charter 11
11. Wilgerup mine lease approved 12
12. 3 mines to be cleaned up under agreement 12
13. National Assembly said to back bauxite-mining policy 14
Mining – Other News 16
14. NGO to run legal aid cell on child rights 16
15. Climate change makes rain unpredictable 17
16. Over 600,000 Women Die in Childbirth Every Year 18
17. Call to implement UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples 20
18. Indian province to be studied for climate change impacts 21

Mining – India

Indian government gives go ahead to controversial Vedanta mine in Orissa
19 May 2009 13:31:14 GMT
Source: ActionAid
Reuters and AlertNet are not responsible for the content of this article or for any external internet sites. The views expressed are the author's alone.

After a five year struggle by tribal people the Indian government has given the go ahead for a controversial mine planned by UK company Vedanta which will destroy a sacred mountain that is the ancestral home to thousands of people.
In a document received by ActionAid yesterday dated 28th April, The Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) gave the environmental clearance to British-listed company Vedanta to start mining. The notification states a period of 30 days to file an appeal against this clearance on environmental grounds but full-scale mining could start at any time.
Bratindi Jena, heads of ActionAid's work on tribal rights said: "The environmental go ahead to mine the Niyamgiri hill held sacred by Kondh indigenous community has come as a shock. The tribal people have been campaigning against the project and mining. They are totally against this mine which will destroy their way of life."
The Kondh tribe lead a self-sufficient life nurturing the forest-covered region and relying on it for their food, culture and medicines. They also worship the mountain as their god.
Kumti Majhi a tribal leader part of the Niyamgiri Surksha Samiti said: "We did not get any notice of this clearance. It has happened in a very underhand way. Just three days before this notification, a public hearing was held to seek go ahead for the expansion of Vedanta refinery in Lanjigarh".
He continued: "We cannot live without our god mountain and the forest and we will continue our peaceful struggle. It is a life and death battle and Kondh people are united on this".
Vedanta Resources plc, a British mining company, plan to build an open-pit mine for bauxite (a raw form of aluminum) in the area. Official reports have suggested the mine will lead to massive deforestation, threaten key water sources, endangered animals and destroy local ecosystems.
ActionAid has been campaigning alongside the tribal people to prevent mining on this sacred Indian site for five years. It condemns the proposed destruction of one of India’s last pristine forests which the charity argues could undermine the Kondh’s collective identity and change their way of life for ever.

http://news.google.co.in/news?pz=1&ned=in&hl=en&q=bauxite+mining&cf=all&as_qdr=d&as_drrb=q

CIL may urge new government to hike coal price
Wednesday, 20 May 2009
BL reported that soon after assuming office the new government may be faced with a proposal for an increase in prices of coal by Coal India Limited in the H2 of the current financial year. This is to meet the rising cost of production, especially on account of the recent salary hike of employees and officers.

While officials in CIL and the Union Coal Ministry denied any such development, sources close to the development said that CIL had initiated the related spadework well before the Lok Sabha election and had proposed approximately 10% increase in prices.

Sources said that CIL has intimated the Union Coal Ministry that its annual wage bill is estimated to increase by INR 2,200 crore to INR 2,300 crore following implementation of the National Coal Wage Agreement and the Pay Commission recommendations.

It may be mentioned that soon after announcing the NCWA, the CIL Chairman indicated that a price revision was imminent, especially to ensure the viability of approximately 124 new projects.

Mr Partha S Bhattacharya chairman of CIL said “Despite our best efforts, the increase in costs may not be fully recovered by increasing production and productivity.” He, however, added that the company would take a call on this issue (price revision) after due assessment.

Meanwhile, coal prices were last increased by 10% in December 2007 after a gap of three years. According to CIL, domestic coal enjoys 50% to 60% price advantage over the landed cost of imported coal even after the meltdown.
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/05/20/OTUxOTI%3D/CIL_may_urge_new_government_to_hike_coal_price.html

Maoists’ strike hits life, iron ore movement in Chhattisgarh
May 20th, 2009 - 3:04 pm ICT by IANS
Raipur, May 20 (IANS) A two-day strike called by the banned Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) in the violence-hit Bastar region of Chhattisgarh hit normal life in the interiors on the first day Wednesday and brought transportation of iron ore to a halt, police said.
Maoists have put heavy wooden logs on National Highway 221 in Dantewada district and National Highway 16 in Bijapur district and various state highways, police added.
The railway authorities have cancelled for three days the goods train that transports iron ore from the National Mineral Development Corporation’s (NMDC) Bailadilla mines in Dantewada district to Visakhapatnam in Andhra Pradesh. The train runs on the Kottavalasa-Kirandul (KK) rail line.
“Security in all vulnerable areas, mostly the government facilities, and police posts in forests have been beefed up,” Pawan Deo, deputy inspector general at police headquarters here, told IANS.
“We are taking all precautionary measures to deal with the strike but it has affected life in Bastar and road and rail traffic are the worst-hit,” Deo added.
Maoists have been running a parallel administration since late 1980s in the interiors of the state’s southern Bastar region. The 40,000 sq km region is spread over five districts - Dantewada, Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur and Bastar.
Over 1,500 people have been killed in the state in Maoist violence since Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in November 2000. Maoist rebels have stepped up violence in the state this month and have killed at least 35 people - mostly security personnel - in separate incidents.
http://www.thaindian.com/newsportal/business/maoists-strike-hits-life-iron-ore-movement-in-chhattisgarh_100194961.html


Iron ore prices expected to decline soon

BS Reporter / Mumbai May 20, 2009, 0:55 IST

The recent spurt in iron ore prices are unlikely to sustain for long from estim-ates of the decline in global steel production and consumption, said Seshagiri Rao, joint managing director and group chief financial officer of India’s No. 3 steel producer JSW Steel on the sideline of a steel seminar here on Tuesday.
Iron ore prices have risen over 10 per cent so far this month mainly because of a rise in the ocean freight rates and not purely based on a recovery in demand. Prices of iron ore with 63 per cent iron content increased from $48 a tonne to $54 a tonne.
According to industry sources, iron ore imports into China, the world’s largest steel producer and consumer, has risen substantially with most of it coming from Australia. But, a rise in freight rates has pushed the Chinese importers into the hands of Indian iron ore exporters.
India has a strategic advantage over other iron ore majors, including Australia and Brazil, as the freight cost is only one-fourth of what a Chinese importer incurs while importing.
According to the latest estimates by the World Steel Association, global steel production is likely to decline 15 per cent this year. Developing countries may lead the recovery in both economies and steel demand to follow developed economies next year.
During 2009, developed economies including the US may not see any recovery in economy, an analyst said.
Global steel production witnessed a fall of 22.8 per cent in the first quarter of the present calendar year compared to a decline of 1.55 per cent in 2008, a growth of 8 per cent last year. Similarly, world steel consumption nosedived by 14.87 per cent in the first quarter of the current calendar year as compared to a meagre 1.97 per cent slump in 2008 and a growth of 7.29 per cent during last year.
World average monthly crude steel production was recorded at 87.884 million tonnes in the first quarter of 2009, a decline of 23 per cent from 113.843 million tonnes in the corresponding quarter last year.
http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/iron-ore-prices-expected-to-decline-soon/358621/


Vedanta plans copper plant in UAE, to double gold-refining capacity

By
Shashank Shekhar on Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Vedanta will establish a 100,000-tonne continuous copper rod (CCR) plant in Fujairah by December to serve regional demand from infrastructure projects, a senior executive said yesterday.

The London Stock Exchange-listed Indian company with interests in a diverse group of metals and operations across continents initially plans to invest $15 million (Dh55m) in the project, Lalit Singhvi, Chief Executive for Middle East operations, told Emirates Business.

The company also plans to double its gold-refining capacity in the UAE at a cost of $6m by early next year, he said.

"The copper plant should become operational by December. We will manufacture copper rods that will be used in cables for the region's power grids. We see tremendous demand for such products not only in the UAE or the GCC but the entire Middle East," Singhvi added.

The GCC alone will require 400,000 to 500,000 tonnes of copper rods annually to meet the demands of its power distribution infrastructure, he estimated.

The Middle East is expected to invest more than $500 billion in power projects by 2030, according to recent research. More than 118 power generation projects are being developed at a total cost of $150bn in the GCC countries.

Expected to consume huge amounts of copper, the projects have caught the fancy of companies in Europe, India and Iran.

Vedanta will get its raw materials from Zambia, process them into products at its Fujairah plant and export them to Middle East markets, Singhvi said. The company found the UAE ideal for its plant location considering its import and export regulations.

"We have copper mines and a very large copper smelter in Zambia; we will get our entire supplies from there. Our raw material is copper-cathode that is a globally-accepted and standard marketable product. Hence, there are neither restrictions on its exports from Zambia nor any curbs on its imports into the UAE.

"This copper cathode is 99.9 per cent pure hence there are no hazardous substances in it. There are usually restrictions on metal scrap that might contain hazardous substance. We don't use any scrap metal in our copper plant."

Vedanta is a diversified FTSE-100 metals and mining company, and India's largest non-ferrous metals and mining company based on revenues. Its business spans Africa to India and Australia. It is also developing a commercial power generation business. Vedanta operates a 20 million-tonne gold refinery in Fujairah, which it plans to double to 40 million tonnes next year, Singhvi said.

http://www.business24-7.ae/Articles/2009/5/Pages/18052009/05192009_cb17c79e76a34422ab42f62d39fd75b7.aspx

Mining – International


Mindanao group pushes alternative mining bill
05/20/2009 | 02:55 PM

MANILA, Philippines - A Mindanao-based legal-environmental group pushed Wednesday for the passage of the alternative mining bill (AMB) to address what it considers flaws in the 14-year-old Mining Act of 1995.

The Legal Rights and Natural Resources Center –Kasama sa Kalikasan –Friends of the Earth Philippines (LRC/KsK-FoE Phils) stressed the need for a law to protect mineral resources.

“AMB will also prohibit the transfer and assignments of agreements to prevent corporations avoiding their obligations to the state and to the communities. It will also decrease the maximum areas and terms for mining contractors compared to the Mining Act," Erwin Quinones, the group’s campaigns paralegal, said in an article on the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of the Philippines Web site.

Under the proposed AMB, a new mining policy is to be introduced that will regulate the rational exploration, development and utilization of mineral resources.

It will also ensure the equitable sharing of benefits for State, indigenous peoples and local communities and for other purposes, which the present law is found wanting.

Quinones said the AMB provides a greater participation of the Filipino people in mining and rights of the indigenous peoples are also respected.

Under the bill, the government will receive 10 percent of gross revenues apart from taxes to be paid by contractors, local government units will also get a share of the net revenues directly given to the provincial treasurer (taking into consideration classification of local government) and at least 10 percent of gross revenues as royalty to the indigenous peoples similar to government share.

Quinones added that AMB also seeks the removal of financial or technical assessment agreement (FTAA) which allows 100-percent foreign land ownership and gives a mandate that it will only allow Filipino individuals or corporations.

“Only Filipino citizen/s or corporation/s 60% of whose equity is owned or controlled by Filipino is allowed to mine, to conduct development, utilization and processing of mineral resources in the Philippines. The AMB will also remove the confidentiality provision under the Mining Act. Mandating transparency and access to information for the public," Quinones said.

The maximum contract area for mining operations shall be limited to five hundred hectares (500 has) and the maximum area for one person in any place in the country shall be 750 has in any given watershed (prohibition shall also apply to corporations having the same directors or corporate officers).

“The maximum term is 15 years (and) already includes the five years for rehabilitation," said Quinones.

Also, the proposed law will introduce the Environmental and Social Impact Prevention and Mitigation Plan (ESIPMP) in place of the Environmental Impact Assessment to comprehensively assess the economic, socio-cultural and environmental impact of mining.

Under AMB, a Mineral Multi-Sectoral Council (MMSC) will be formed, composed of representatives of national government, affected local government units, non-government organizations, and local indigenous communities.

The government will act as regulator and not a promoter. The measure also seeks to transfer the Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) from the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) to Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

“The MGB now will become a scientific research institution under the DOST and has no political decision-making authority to determine who will mine," said Quinones. - GMANews.TV

http://www.gmanews.tv/story/162075/Mindanao-group-pushes-alternative-mining-bill

Mining methods harmful to environment


Published: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 7:27 PM EDT
Northeastern Pennsylvania is painfully well acquainted with the environmental legacy of coal mining.

During the region’s reign as a global mining capital, billions of tons of coal were removed with scant regard for the environmental consequences.

Although progress has made in mitigating the adverse impact, many of the region’s waterways still are filled with acidic drainage from abandoned mines, and a great deal of the landscape remains scarred.

Consider, now, that in comparison to mining methods now being used to rip coal from other areas of the Appalachian Mountains, the methods used in this region were gentle.
Along long swaths of coal-laden mountains from West Virginia into Kentucky, mine operators are allowed to blow the tops off mountains, remove the underlying coal, and simply dump the mine waste into neighboring valleys. Those valleys, most often, have been carved by streams that become fouled by the waste.

Mountaintop removal, as it is known, is a barbaric mining method that keeps down the price of coal but causes incalculable environmental damage in the process.

Unfortunately, this is the golden age of the barbaric practice largely because of a change in definition by federal regulators that allowed mine waste to be classified as fill.

A bill now in Congress, the Clean Water Protection Act, would change the definition of fill to exclude mine waste.

About 400 Appalachian peaks covering about 1.4 million acres already have been destroyed by this needlessly destructive mining method, which produces about 5 percent of the nation’s coal.

Pennsylvania members of Congress, who are well aware of mining’s impact on their own state, should vote to curtail this unconscionable assault on the environment.

http://www.citizensvoice.com/articles/2009/05/19/editorial/wb_voice.20090519.t.pg16.cv19cdeditorial_s1.2534332_loc.txt

Eritrea awards more mining licences
Tue May 19, 2009 1:05pm GMT

Print | Single Page
By Andrew Cawthorne
ASMARA (Reuters) - Eritrea said on Tuesday eight more foreign firms had entered its mining sector with a clutch of new exploration licences in a nation seen on the cusp of a minerals boom that could motor its needy economy.
Alem Kibreab, director general of mines for the Energy and Mines Ministry, added the Horn of Africa nation's first and flagship project -- the Bisha mine -- should start producing gold by the third quarter of 2010.
"Despite its small size, Eritrea is going to be on the map of mining countries," he told Reuters, adding that reserves identified so far were only the "tip of the iceberg."
Foreign miners agree on the potential, but Eritrea insists the sector must be developed slowly and carefully to prevent the so-called "resources curse" where oil and minerals have spawned corruption and violence elsewhere in Africa.
A new round of licences awarded earlier this year had brought the total number of foreign companies exploring or about to explore in Eritrea to 14, Alem said.
He named the newcomers as Britain's Andiamo Exploration and London Africa; China's Land and Energy and Zhongchang Mining; the Eritrean-Libyan Mining Share; Australia's South Boulder and Gippsland; and India's Spice Minerals.
Gold, copper, zinc and potash are the main interest.
"We know that the juniors are the ones who aggressively come for exploration," he said. "We are comfortable not only with the size but the diversification of countries."
Eritrea's most advanced project, run by Canada's Nevsun Resources Ltd with a 40 percent stake for the state, is Bisha. Its 27 million tonnes of ore are believed to contain 1 million ounces of gold, 700-800 million lb of copper and 1 billion lb of zinc.
"Construction has started. Most of the workers' quarters are ready. We strongly believe that by the third quarter of 2010, we will start production," Alem said, adding that feasibility and environment impact studies had been lengthy.
For the first two-and-a-half years it will produce gold, with output of 450,000 ounces a year expected. Then it will turn to copper, followed by zinc in a probable 10-year life.
"Bisha is unique. You rarely find a project with gold on top, then copper, then zinc, like that," Alem said.
"If we get the gold price at today's price, it will be beneficial, obviously," he said, adding the mine was planned with a lower price of between $400-600 an ounce in mind.
MINISTERIAL RE-SHUFFLE
Next up will be the Zara project, run by Australia's Sub-Sahara Resources, and the Asmara belt, headed by Canada's Sunridge.
Zara is believed to hold 1 million ounces of gold.
Asmara belt has some 70 million tonnes of ore thought to contain between 500,000-1 million ounces of gold, 2 billion lb of zinc and 700-800 million lb of copper, Alem said
"It is a very difficult time because of the credit crunch. If all goes well, though, we should have feasibility studies finished by 2011 for both, then construction would start, and production would be a year or two years after."
Mining company sources said those targets were not over-ambitious, but may shift according to global economics.
Alem said Eritrea did not have any estimates for total national reserves, but the potential was clear and the economy -- one of the world's smallest -- had much to gain.
"As well as the revenues, it can provide a big support to other sectors," Alem said.
Apart from small-scale, artisan mining and some minor extraction by Italians during the colonial era, Eritrea's mining potential is unexploited. Some bigger miners were scared off by the 1998-2000 border war with Ethiopia.
President Isaias Afwerki recently moved long-serving Energy and Mines Minister Tesfai Ghebreselassie to the environment portfolio, replacing him with Ahmed Haj Ali who had been running the fisheries ministry.
Ahmed had experience in the sector from a stint as deputy energy and mines minister, Alem said. And while foreign companies would be reassured by Tesfai's move to the environment, he would be no pushover, he added.
"It is a plus to the industry. That is how the companies take it ... I am sure, though, that he will be even tougher in protecting the environment because a lot of people will say he will have a weakness there. Even when here, he was very strong on the environment."
http://af.reuters.com/article/investingNews/idAFJOE54I0FM20090519


Ministry denies granting permission for sand mining

19 May 2009 Ibrahim Mohamed
The island office on Gnaviyani atoll Fuvamulah has alleged it was granted permission by the government to mine for sand on neighbouring lagoons after the practice led to extensive coastal erosion on the island.

Fuvamulah Island Councillor Ibrahim Fikuree Hussain said the ministry of fisheries and agriculture issued permission to islanders to mine sand from lagoons from two uninhabited islands in South Huvadhoo atoll – Havodigalaa and Maodigalaa – and one on the southern side of an inhabited island, Faress Mathodaa.

“We think the government has provided us with a good alternative,” he said.

But the ministry’s permanent secretary, Abdulla Nasir, has denied the claim, saying no such permission was given.

The practice of sand mining is a growing ecological problem as the demand for sand increases in the construction industry. It is widely believed to be linked to coastal erosion and negatively impacts local wildlife, such as sea turtles, which depend on sandy beaches for nesting.

Speaking to Minivan News today, Ali Rilwan, executive director of environment NGO Bluepeace, said sand mining in lagoons could alter the flow of the current and waves near the shore.

Fuvamulah is the only atoll in the Maldives with a single island and is located in the channel between Huvadhoo and Addu atolls.

It lacks a lagoon, which exposes it to wave action on all sides, but in the past, an elevated shoreline acted as a natural barrier against waves.

The island has been faced with coastal erosion since 2002, exposing the island to flooding.

Island Chief Muneer Hassan said in addition to sand mining, around ten per cent of the island’s erosion was due to a harbour, which was constructed in 2002 without an Environment Impact Assessment.

But Muneer said allowing sand to be mined from neighbouring lagoons would not stop sand mining in Fuvamulah and suggested a total ban be put into place.

Although sand mining is prohibited on inhabited islands, due to the isolated nature of Fuvamulah, islanders are allowed to mine for construction purposes under special permits.

At present, the Fuvamulah office issues a quota of 80 sacks of sand per day to be mined from the surrounding beaches.

The level of mining increased, said Councillor Hussain, after an increase in the number of construction projects on the densely-populated island.

“Cost was one of the main reasons people continued mining on the island,” he said.

A sack of imported sand costs five times more than a sack of locally mined sand, which costs less than a dollar.

Beach erosion is among the most serious environmental issues facing the Maldives today. On many islands, the sand is being eroded at a greater rate than it is accreted.

The Maldives is particularly vulnerable to erosion because of its low elevation. Approximately 80 per cent of the 1,192 coral islets that make up the Maldives are one metre or less above sea level, making it the world’s lowest country.

The UN International Panel on Climate Change has predicted that much of the Maldives could be submerged by the next century due to rising sea levels.

http://www.minivannews.com/news_detail.php?id=6547

Namibia digging in on mining charter
Mathew Murphy
May 20, 2009
NAMIBIA'S long-proposed mining charter — aimed at giving black Namibians a stake in mining and exploration investments — is on its way, according to the Namibian Government.
However, some Australian companies with business interests in the southern African country have argued for a fairer scheme than the "diseased" South African model established in 2004.
Namibia's Minister of Mines and Energy, Erkki Nghimtina, said the Government had created a mining company to entrench itself in the industry before the release of the charter. "The mining charter is coming," he said. "It will be similar to that of South Africa, maybe with a few modifications."
South Africa introduced legislation in 2004 that required mining companies to sell 15 per cent of their assets to local black investors by 2009 and 26 per cent by 2014.
The policy has resulted in accusations of sweetheart deals with the small black elite. Critics also say the legislation deters investment in the country.
Namibia is one of the largest producers of uranium. Rio Tinto has an interest in the country though its ageing Rossing mine. The company is believed to be in talks with the Namibian Government on how the charter would impact its business.
Australian uranium company Paladin Energy also has an interest through its nearby Langer Heinrich operation. Paladin's managing director, John Borshoff, said he believed Namibia's lack of capital would stop any duplication of the South African scheme.
"Who is going to afford to get in and buy projects like this?" he said. "There is no economic base in Namibia like there was in South Africa. We believe there is a move on (to deliver the charter) but that it will happen in terms of a lot more engagement of local communities and looking to benefit those rather than single fat-cat-type organisations that have diseased the South African model."
With BLOOMBERG
http://business.theage.com.au/business/namibia-digging-in-on-mining-charter-20090520-bed6.html

Wilgerup mine lease approved
BILLIE HARRISON
18/05/2009 11:30:00 PM
CENTREX Metals has been offered a 10-year mining lease for its Wilgerup hematite deposit near Lock.
Mineral Resources Development Minister Paul Holloway said the announcement highlighted the continued confidence of the State's mineral sector despite the global economic recession.
"The Wilgerup project follows on the success of One Steel's Project Magnet in the Middleback ranges and will create both jobs and export income to support the South Australian economy into the next decade and beyond," Mr Holloway said.
He said the lease came with strict environmental and operating conditions and the company would not be able to start mining until a comprehensive Mining and Rehabilitation Program (MARP) was approved by Primary Industry and Research SA.
Centrex managing director Gerard Anderson said the company had reviewed the lease conditions and said they represented sound industry practices and would not put onerous requirements on the company.
He said the mining lease was the penultimate step in the company's move from explorer to producer on Eyre Peninsula.
Centrex plans to develop a two million tonne a year hematite mine with an estimated capital expenditure of $50 million.
The mine is expected to generate 120 to 150 jobs with an indirect employment multiplier of about three to one.
Centrex has also submitted a development application for approval to export hematite iron ore from Wilgerup through Port Lincoln's main wharf, which is currently being assessed by the Development Assessment Commission (DAC).
Mr Holloway said the DAC was yet to make a decision and and the assessment would not be influenced by the decision to offer a mining lease.
http://portlincoln.yourguide.com.au/news/local/news/general/wilgerup-mine-lease-approved/1516778.aspx

3 mines to be cleaned up under agreement
By Dick Kamp
Published: Tuesday, May 19, 2009 5:49 PM MDT


Wick Communications Environmental Liaison

Arizona has reached a $30 million agreement with Asarco to clean up three mining properties and to transfer four miles of the San Pedro River to the State Land Department as part of the settlement. The deal is part of a $70 million, 11-state Superfund settlement with the Tucson-based operation, which is up for sale.

Who will pay for the clean-up depends on who buys Asarco: India-based Sterlite or its repurchase by Grupo Mexico, whose claims to past ownership have been thrown out of court.

The court-approved remediation/cleanup agreements constitute a Natural Resource Damage Settlement. The transfer of lower San Pedro River land to a joint trust administered by U.S. Fish and Wildlife, Arizona Fish and Game and the Arizona Land Commission is expected to be approved in the next few days, ADEQ acting director Patrick Cunningham said.

That land is north and south of where Aravaipa Creek enters the river 10 miles south of Winkelman, and is payment for mining damage to Mineral Creek.

Three mines are to be cleaned up:

• The Trench silver, gold and lead mine that operated from the late 1930s to the early 1960s along Harshaw Creek in the Patagonia Mountains.
• The Salero silver-lead mine that operated from the 1850s to the 1920s and is upstream of the First United Realty Salero Ranch development 15 miles east of Tumacacori in the Santa Rita mountain foothills.
• The Sacaton open pit copper mine northwest of Casa Grande that closed in the 1980s.

ADEQ said it will cost about $20 million to remediate Sacaton, and $3 million for the Trench and Salero cleanup. Asarco is currently onsite working on cleanup at Trench and Salero.

After the cleanup, the properties will be transferred to a court-appointed custodian who will put them up for sale, and the money will go to the state. Mineral rights will be obtained at Salero and Trench and the could, conceivably, be mined again.

The San Pedro land, over 1000 acres, is valued at up to $4 million and the agreement comes with another $4 million to maintain and preserve the river land under a joint plan that will be developed by the three agencies in charge.

The Trench mine and its “Adit” mine shaft have been a surface and groundwater pollution concern of ADEQ and USEPA Region 9 for a number of years and are among mines that have been polluting Harshaw Creek in the Patagonia Mountains.

A February 2003 EPA statement said both mines “are discharging acid mine drainage containing zinc, copper and cadmium above water quality standards into Alum Gulch, which eventually drains into Patagonia Lake.”

Alum Gulch drains into Harshaw Creek, which has several mining properties polluting it before entering Patagonia Lake. Mine shafts and tailings are believed to be causes of the acidic pollution.

The Salero mine properties, including tailings and historical buildings, are above the high-end Salero Ranch development and sits upstream of semi-perennial flows in Bond Canyon to the west of the Santa Rita foothills that flow into the Santa Cruz River.

The pollution impact the old mining property has had on surface or groundwater is unknown.

The Salero mine property has alternated between Asarco, current owner First United Realty, and property owner Bruce Bennett since the mid-1980s and is not a part of land being developed for real estate. Bennett said soil samples analyzed by a private company in Phoenix in 2007 indicated high lead and arsenic levels.

http://www.gvnews.com/articles/2009/05/19/news/68mining520.txt


National Assembly said to back bauxite-mining policy
21:08' 19/05/2009 (GMT+7)


The press conference on the 5th NA session on May 18.
VietNamNet Bridge – The National Assembly (NA) completely supports the policy of developing bauxite mining in the Central Highlands, said Tran Dinh Dan, head of the NA’s office, at a press conference on the upcoming NA session in Hanoi on May 18. Following is the text of his responses to questions from reporters.

NA Committee surveys bauxite sites in Central Highlands

NA Chairman Nguyen Phu Trong has said that the NA Standing Committee will have a report on bauxite mining in the Central Highlands. Could you clarify this?

The policy to zone for mining bauxite is a policy established by the 9th and the 10th Party Congress. The Politburo on April 24, 2004 also issued an announcement approving this policy.

The NA Standing Committee has decided to include a section in its economic-social report about bauxite mining. In addition, there will be detailed discussion of the planning, the goals, and the implementation of the bauxite-mining project. This report is very long so it will be delivered to NA deputies for reference.

The common spirit is how best to to develop the bauxite mining industry in the Central Highlands and the whole country, ensuring economic, security and defence effectiveness.

The lead investor of the bauxite-mining project is the Vietnam Coal and Mineral Group (TKV). There is no plan at present to call for foreign investment in this project. Emphasis is on choosing modern technology, protecting the environment very strictly and using local manpower.

At meetings with voters before the 5th NA session, what issue were voters interested in related to the bauxite mining policy?

We know that voters in the Central Highlands area were very concerned about the environmental issues. Many retired senior officials and ordinary people also paid special attention to this issue.

However, the bauxite ore is an underground resource located in a poor region. It will be very good for the economy if bauxite is mined, to develop industry in general and to improve the infrastructure and the life of local people.

Some said that Vietnam’s workforce is abundant, so much that we have to export manpower, so first of all we should train workers to serve this project, rather than use foreign workers.

A French group in Vietnam is preparing to train workers for this project. We will only employ skilled foreign technicians.

The government has to submit its report on bauxite mining. Does the NA Standing Committee verify the government’s report? If NA deputies don’t agree with the government’s report, what will happen?

The NA assigns committees to verify the government’s report. The NA Committee for Economics and Budget will evaluate the economic effects. The NA Committee for Science, Technology and Environment will assess the environmental and scientific aspects. NA bodies are responsible for supervision.

The NA completely supports this general policy.

As I said, this policy was approved by the Party and the State at the 9th and 10th Party Congress. Then, on April 24, the Politburo issued an announcement about the policy of organizing and managing bauxite mining to develop the country and [especially the] the Central Highlands.

Certainly the NA will give its full support to this policy. Deciding how the project is carried out, what elements are necessary, how the planning will be done is the responsibility of the administrative structures.

National Assembly Office Vice Chairman Nguyen Si Dung announced that when the 5th NA session opens on May 20, it will assess government proposals for amendment of the laws on personal income tax, value added tax and taxation management. This is the basis for considering the exemption and reduction of personal income tax to stimulate demand and ensure social welfares.

After discussing the government’s scheme on reform of financial policy for education and training, the NA will issue a resolution on “the Financial Management Mechanism for Education”.

The 5th NA session, from May 20 to June 20, is also expected to pass 12 laws and amendments to laws. These include laws on public debt management; criminal record; government compensation; urban planning; Penal Code amendments; Vietnamese representative offices abroad; Amendments to Article 126 of the Housing Law and Article 121 of the Land Law; intellectual property rights; Amendments to the Cinema Law; amendments to the Cultural Heritage Law; Amendments to the Law on capital construction investment; and on cryptography.
The NA will also do preliminary work for laws on medical examination and treatment, radio frequency and telecommunications.
In this session, the NA will also discuss adjusting the GDP growth rate; State budget overspending; additional Government bond issues for 2009; and plans for an innovative financial regime for education and training between 2008 and 2012.
Issues to be reviewed include the unemployment situation in the first months of the year; recent results of the poverty reduction programmes; and ways of mobilizing additional investment for the programmes in the near future.
The NA plans to spend 2.5 days for a question-and-answer session that will allow deputies to pose questions directly to ministers.
Dung said the NA would not consider the Vietnam Oil and Gas Group’s investment project in Venezuela because the project scale is not large enough to require its submission to the NA.


http://news.google.co.in/news?pz=1&ned=in&hl=en&q=coal+mining&as_qdr=d&as_drrb=q&cf=all&start=40

Mining – Other News

NGO to run legal aid cell on child rights

Tags: New Delhi

(Source: IANS)
Published: Tue, 19 May 2009 at 13:33 ISTF Prev Next LSamay Vote Will Prabhakaran's demise boost tourism in Sri Lanka?

New Delhi: An NGO here will head a child rights legal aid cell and work closely with various government departments to uphold the rights of children and punish violators of these rights.
The All India Legal Aid Cell will be run by Bachpan Bachao Andolan (BBA) under the aegis of National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and the Delhi Legal Services Authority.

Announcing the initiative, member secretary of NALSA U. Saratchandran said the legal aid cell would collaborate with the various government departments like the Ministry of Labour and Employment, Home Affairs, Women and Child Development and Social Justice and Empowerment.

"Besides the various government departments, the cell will also work with different commissions in seeking information about government schemes and orders to uphold child rights," Saratchandran said.

BBA founder Kailash Satyarthi said: "The Legal Aid cell on child rights is a new dawn in the history of legal aid in India. It will be a one stop point to initiate legal action against violators of children related laws and access to rehabilitation and other social integration schemes for children."

"By providing legal assistance and advice to the concerned government authorities, the cell would also help in formulation of action plans, guidelines, standard operating procedures and other legal mechanisms for protection of child rights," he added.

"Whenever required, the cell will also provide assistance in legal proceedings in any court in India," he said.

http://www.samaylive.com/news/ngo-to-run-legal-aid-cell-on-child-rights/627883.html


Climate change makes rain unpredictable
20 May 2009, 0417 hrs IST, TNN

Bangalore: An overcast sky, rain every day and all the fun which comes with the season are knocking at the door. The monsoon is predicted to
hit the city by May 25, five days ahead of the normal onset. Pre-monsoon rain is already soaking the city every evening.

But studies and experts say the summer monsoon is shrinking and rainfall required for agriculture is increasingly becoming unpredictable. Distribution is also disturbed. While farmers are preparing to adapt to these changing patterns, what is in store for this year could vary a lot from the predictions.

IPCC data and all other international predictions have cited climate change will cause intense rainfall and increase risk of floods. Last year's unusually high rainfall in Karnataka was also believed to be an impact of the same. According to professor, agro-met department, UAS, Raje Gowda, the sowing season has shifted by at least 20 days for farmers. "There are no such changes in the onset and offset of the monsoon but the precipitation useful for agriculture has become unpredictable. Some years, when the rainfall in June and July is not adequate, we ask them to sow in August," he says.

The North-East monsoon in October helps in completing the harvest in such cases. The quantum of rainfall is also unexpected. "Mumbai received 990 mm in 20 hours, we received 160-170 mm rainfall in 20 hours here last year. Intense rain is increasing but the dry spell areas are also increasing as distribution is not even," he added. Distribution predictions for this year for four zones of the state will be released next week by the department.

A study by K V Ramesh and P Goswami of the Centre for Mathematical Modelling and Computer Simulation in Bangalore confirms the summer monsoon has shrunk. It is an analysis of daily gridded observed rainfall data from 1951 to 2003. There are decreasing trends in both early and late monsoon rainfall and number of rainy days, implying a shorter monsoon over India.

For the pre-June period, decrease in the area-averaged rainfall and number of rainy days are 59% and 47% respectively, of the mean values. For post-monsoon period, the corresponding values are smaller (39% and 24% respectively) but still significant. It also confirms that length and coverage of the Indian summer monsoon is decreasing.

A reason attributed to such changing patterns is the increasing surface temperature of oceans. Director of meteorological department, Bangalore, A Muthuchami, confirmed surface temperature of the Indian Ocean has increased by 1 degree. This could be due to pollution in the ocean. If the ocean gets warmer, rainfall is delayed and is much more intense.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Cities/Climate-change-makes-rain-unpredictable/articleshow/4553283.cms

Over 600,000 Women Die in Childbirth Every Year
By Pamela Philipose, Womens Feature Service
Mary Robinson, Ireland's first woman president, is internationally known for her contributions to furthering human rights. Today, she is Chair of the 'Realising Rights: The Ethical Globalisation Initiative'. Recently she was in New Delhi to deliver The Public Health Foundation of India Lecture 2009. The interview Robinson has spoken on the current global crisis, health as a human right and the movement of health workers from resource poor to resource rich countries.
Q: Do you see the current global crisis as an opportunity for the world?
A: I heard a very wise statement once: This crisis is much too important to waste. I think that is the way to look at it. It shows that a purely market-based approach does not bring about equity and fairness, particularly, for the poor.
Q: We are now witness to multi-crises: global warming, financial meltdown, the food and fuel crises, and so on. What do you consider the most central?
A: The problem is that we can't really separate these various crises. They are very inter-linked. At the start of this century, we committed to bringing about more fairness through the Millennium Development Goals. We have not stuck to achieving them in a focused way. They have been sidelined by the so-called 'war on terror' and security concerns that have not made us safer. I believe the Obama administration recognises this and is seeking a more multi-polar approach. Meanwhile, the financial crisis inflicted by rich countries is doing a lot of damage and we have just begun to appreciate that the climate change impacts are worse than expected. I am very involved now in developing along with others the principles of climate justice. I think we have to have shared values to address this cumulative combination of crises.
Q: You have argued that human rights are the only shared values that the world has.
A: Every government has agreed that the Universal Declaration of Human Rights is acceptable to them. That doesn't mean one size fits all in how you apply it. I believe that human rights flourish more in democracies, but even non-democratic states have to accept human rights and we will have to work towards achieving that. The spiritual culture of a country is very important. We have learnt that if we try to ignore that, we will not have a deep appreciation of human rights that is embedded in the local culture.
Q: You head the Ethical Globalisation Initiative. How do ethics impact human rights?
A: Well, take the principles of climate justice. We are, in fact, basing them on existing principles of justice, fairness and dignity - for example, the principle that the polluter should pay. It makes sense because if you cause something, there are consequences of that causation. So the more you are responsible for creating the problem, the more you are responsible for mitigating it.
Q: The right to health has emerged as a major concern.
A: The right to health is not a new concept. The Supreme Court of India, for instance, has delivered a number of notable judgements linking the right to health with the right to life. I believe it is important to take Article 25 of the Universal Declaration and make it very practical. What this means is that we should try to evolve systems of security for the poorest so that they don't suffer the shocks of illness. The poor pay the most for food; they also pay the most for health. And it is possible that a system is set up to address this.

Q: But why has the right to health remained so under-legislated?
A: Liberal economic philosophy approaches health as a cost, rather than as a necessity for economic and social development. It is important that governments recognise the value of health in terms of its contribution to GDP. Unless governments commit a significant percentage of GDP to health, there will not be the right structures for health.
One of the great human rights violations, which don't get much attention, is maternal mortality. If I look at my own country, Ireland, if a mother dies of childbirth in a hospital, the whole hospital mourns. It is a real tragedy. But over 600,000 women die of childbirth every year. I'm very glad that Amnesty International is expanding its approach to human rights issues to include social rights, and they are particularly going to look at the need for safe motherhood.
Q: You've spoken about the asymmetrical movement of health workers from resource poor to resource rich countries. How should this be addressed?
A: Take India: 75 to 80 per cent of medical schools in India are publicly funded. India has the largest number of doctors of any nation migrating to Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. The US alone has over 50,000. If you work that out, there is one Indian doctor available for every 1,325 Americans in the US, but in India there is one Indian doctor for every 2,200 Indians. Approximately 30 per cent of doctors in the National Health Service of the UK are Indian expatriates. Inevitably, public health services in rural India are understaffed by over 50 per cent.
Of course, we must recognise the human right to migrate to further one's prospects. At the same time there is an imbalance, which we must address. In the United States, for instance, visas for nurses are fast-tracked and people there do not perceive that when they get a doctor or nurse from poorer countries, they get a professional fully trained by their country of origin. It costs to train such personnel so we need a way to address the issue. The first step is to pay for the education of such personnel. That would be a practical way of addressing the problem.
Q: Recently, there was a newspaper comment saying that when Madonna adopts a baby in Malawi, it signals the state of maternal mortality in that country.
A: I agree. If you look at the situation in Malawi, there are more doctors from Malawi in Manchester, England, than in the whole of Malawi. How can you have good medical care under such circumstances? But Malawi is also one of the countries where we have evidence-based work on the fact that mid-level providers, especially trained in emergency obstetric care, are carrying out the majority of the Caesarean sections and doing so very well.
Q: But would that mean compromising the quality of healthcare?
A: That is a very important concern. We don't want second-class medical services in the poorest countries, but we do want to re-define deliverers of services. I have met some very highly trained obstetricians, who say we must look at what can deliver the best care and that does not mean that every single woman needs a highly qualified obstetrician. They need somebody who is very competent. Today, we can have such health deliverers in rural areas being assisted by qualified professionals at the district, regional, national and international levels. We should be designing medical systems using the best technology available, including communications technology like mobile phones, so that every country has access to adequate healthcare.

http://newsblaze.com/story/20090519124026iwfs.nb/topstory.html

Call to implement UN Declaration on Rights of Indigenous Peoples
Sanjeeb Drong, from New York
The eighth session of the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues began in New York on Monday with a call to implement the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
More than 2,000 indigenous representatives from across the world as well as state representatives, civil society members, academicians and representatives from inter-governmental organisations are taking part in the two-week session.
In the opening session, UN General Assembly President Miguel d'Escoto Brockmann said the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples should be implemented to address the endless discrimination and violations of human rights of indigenous peoples around the world.
Indigenous peoples face marginalisation, extreme poverty, hunger, threats and negative impact of mainstream development, he added.
Rachel Mayanja, assistant secretary-general of the Department of Economic and Social Affairs, said, "It is through continuous commitment and international cooperation that we will achieve the goal of the Second Decade, namely progress on indigenous issues in the areas of human rights, economic and social development, environment, education, health and culture."
"Let us work towards this goal in partnership with the indigenous peoples of the world," she added.
Victoria Tauly-Corpuz, chairperson of the session, said, "The biggest challenge is how to get the Declaration implemented by States, UN bodies and by indigenous peoples themselves and by society at large."
She said that indigenous women's rights should be protected under Article 22, which states, "Particular attention shall be paid to the rights and special needs of indigenous elders, women, youth, children and persons with disabilities in the implementation of this Declaration. States shall take measures, in conjunction with indigenous peoples, to ensure that indigenous women and children enjoy the full protection and guarantees against all forms of violence and discrimination."
The theme of the session is Implementation of the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples, Indigenous Women, Second Decade and the Arctic Region.
From Bangladesh, Raja Devasish Roy, Father Joseph Gomes, OMI, Goutam Kumar Chakma and Rabindranath Soren are attending the session.
The Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issues was established by the UN Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) in 2000, with a mandate to discuss indigenous issues within the mandate of the ECOSOC relating to economic and social development, culture, the environment, education, health and human rights.
http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=89063

Indian province to be studied for climate change impacts
20 May 2009 | Author:


Increasing temperatures as well as a spike in extreme weather in India's Orissa province has many pundits asking whether climate change is playing a role, and a new study is aiming to find out
The United Kingdom and India announced Monday a joint venture to examine various explanations for extreme climate change in the eastern province of Orissa and how to address them in the future.

The UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and the Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of India are collaboratively carrying out the project. This is the second phase of a joint research program between the two countries that is focusing on the effect of climate change on India. Five other projects are currently focusing on the effect of climate change on India.

Ultimately, the projects look to research the effects of climate change on India through 2050 and how water resources, agriculture and forestry may be impacted.

Orissa has encountered hotter than normal weather over the past few years and unprecedented bouts of extreme weather, such as tornadoes and stronger than normal cyclones, have battered the State. The project is aiming to figure out how to mitigate these events in the future.

http://www.climatechangecorp.com/content.asp?ContentID=6158