Mining – India 1
1. NTPC drill for coal mine buy 1
2. Joint survey in border mining areas 2
3. Nine injured in Balaria mine accident 3
4. Mining group Vedanta eyes steel manufacturing - paper 3
5. NTPC to engage bankers to acquire overseas coal mines 4
6. Opposition walks out over mining scam in Orissa 4
7. Nagargao locals oppose mining in forest land 5
8. Survey on Obulapuram mines from July 20 to 30 6
9. Nalco strengthens security at bauxite mines 7
Mining – International 8
10. Hana Mining buys stake in Botswana copper and silver project 8
11. Brazilian mining company Vale interested in buying Mosaic, newspaper reports 9
12. Uranium mine digs deeper 9
13. Chinese firm to develop 1 bln T Russian iron mine 10
14. Indonesia says 'foreign countries' linked to attacks 11
15. Mongolia Seeks $25 Billion of Investments in Mining (Update1) 12
Other News 14
16. Stand on climate change unchanged: Shyam Saran 14
17. '25,000 MW power coming through diesel, propelling climate change' 15
18. Demand to declare Allahabad as drought-hit 16
19. Law on human rights needs to be realised, say experts 16
20. No plan for drought-proofing the economy 17
21. HC stay on forest act plea 18
22. Unique ID: Nilekani and team have task cut out 18
23. Concern over forest policy 19
24. RTI not bureaucrats’ preserve, says report 19
Mining – India
NTPC drill for coal mine buy
OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT
New Delhi, July 16: State-owned NTPC Ltd will appoint merchant bankers next month to offer advice on valuing the coal mines it plans to buy in Indonesia and Mozambique.
“We will appoint merchant bankers to do the due diligence for the coal mines in Indonesia and Mozambique that we have identified,” NTPC chairman and managing director R.S. Sharma said today.
The thermal power producer has identified two mining assets each in Indonesia and Mozambique. It needs 225 million tonnes (mt) of coal by 2012, but will get 195mt from Coal India and its subsidiaries. NTPC plans to produce 15mt captively and import 15mt.
“The mines will be acquired by the company and not by the consortium, International Coal Ventures Ltd (ICVL),” he said.
ICVL was formed by Steel Authority of India Ltd, NTPC, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam, National Mineral Development Corporation and Coal India to acquire overseas coal blocks.
Kuljit Singh, energy analyst with Ernst & Young, said, “The demand-supply deficit in coal has been increasing with domestic production unable to keep pace with the demand. The deficit is being met through imports. Moreover, consumers prefer imported coal because of the lower ash content and higher calorific value.” Coal India Limited yesterday invited bids for partners to undertake mining activities abroad.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090717/jsp/business/story_11247591.jsp
Joint survey in border mining areas
TNN 17 July 2009, 12:10am IST
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BELLARY: After a long lull, as per the high court order, a joint survey was carried out on Thursday by the Indian Bureau of Mines
(IBM) and Survey of India in Mallapanagudi and Tumti village, which has been in the news for excessive mining.
Senior government officials, including B P Sinha, Venkatesh Rao, P Narasingha Rao, M S Wagmore from Indian Bureau of Mines and Survey of India, carried out the survey. Many officials from the forest and revenue department from both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka took part as well. Security was beefed up around the survey areas.
Farmers from Sandur, Hospet, Bellary submitted a memorandum to the IBM officials on behalf of Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sanga (Hasiru Sene), requesting them to prevent the encroachment of Andhra-Karnataka border areas from mining companies. The border and mining survey will be carried out on Friday as well.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-City-Bangalore-Joint-survey-in-border-mining-areas-/articleshow/4786802.cms
Nine injured in Balaria mine accident
TNN 17 July 2009, 05:23am IST
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UDAIPUR: Nine labourers were injured on Thursday at Balaria mine of Hindustan Zinc Ltd (HZL) in the Zawar Mines area, due to a lift collapse. It
was carrying labourers to an underground mine for daily work.
According to the additional superintendent of police (rural) Kalu Ram Rawat, the incident took place at 9.30 am. He said at the time of incident there were nine people in the lift, including the lift operator. According to the police, the suspension cable of the lift broke causing the accident. A HZL rescue team helped to get out all trapped workers through the emergency route.
Rawat said, "The mines management took the injured to the local hospital for first aid and then they were taken to Udaipur for further diagnosis." The injured lift operator Vikram Singh, workers Ashok, Narain, Laxman, Naneshwar, Babu Lal, Soma Ram, Nana Lal and Dilip have been discharged from the hospital after treatment.
"Neither the management nor any worker has reported to the police about the incident, but police team went on heir own to help,"-Rawat added.
Neither the mine incharge nor general manager were available to give any information as to how this accident or incident occured. HZL has always claimed that it was very perticular about safety measures.
The incident had echoes in the assembly. During the budget debate, Udaipur MLA Gulab Chand Kataria raised the issue and sought a statement from the government over the incident. The chief minister, said there were no reports of loss of life due to the accident. However, Udaipur collector have been asked to sent a report. The collector is personally going to the mine to gather first hand information.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-City-Jaipur-Nine-injured-in-Balaria-mine-accident/articleshow/4787114.cms
Mining group Vedanta eyes steel manufacturing - paper
Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:41am IST
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MUMBAI (Reuters) - India-focused mining group Vedanta Resources Plc is planning to expand to steel manufacturing with a partner, the Mint newspaper reported on Friday.
Iron-ore producer Sesa Goa, controlled by Vedanta, has begun talks with Japanese and European steel companies for building a steel plant in India, the paper said, quoting group Chairman Anil Agarwal.
"We are iron ore producers and not specialists in making steel. We will partner with somebody who can provide us technology and management," Agarwal told the paper.
The London-listed Vedanta is Agarwal's holding company and owns controlling stakes in mining firm Sterlite Industries, Sesa Goa, Vedanta Aluminium and Konkona Copper Mines in Zambia, it said.
On Thursday, Sterlite raised about $1.5 billion through an issue of American Depositary Shares to fund its power projects and other expansion plans.
Sesa Goa has capacity to produce 50 million tonnes of iron ore annually and could feed a 10 million tonne steel plant, Agarwal told the paper.
(For more news on Reuters Money click in.reuters.com/money)
http://in.reuters.com/article/businessNews/idINIndia-41107620090717
NTPC to engage bankers to acquire overseas coal mines
New Delhi (PTI): State-run power generation company NTPC said it would appoint merchant bankers next month for acquiring coal mines identified by the company in Indonesia and Mozambique.
"We will appoint merchant bankers to do the due diligence for Indonesia and Mozambique coal mines that we identified," NTPC Chairman and Managing Director R S Sharma told reporters.
"The coal mines would be acquired by the company and not by the consortium -- International Coal Ventures Limited -- formed by five PSUs for this purpose", he added.
International Coal Ventures Ltd was formed by five public sector companies to acquire coal blocks overseas.
These five companies are Steel Authority of India, NTPC, Rashtriya Ispat Nigam, National Mineral Development Corporation and Coal India.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/006200907161452.htm
Opposition walks out over mining scam in Orissa
________________________________________
STAFF REPORTER 23:23 HRS IST
Bhubaneswar, July 16 (PTI) Unhappy over Orissa Government's refusal to order a CBI inquiry into the alleged multi-crore mining scam, the entire opposition today staged a walkout in the assembly.
The issue of mining scam, which had stalled assembly proceedings for four days, was again raised by Opposition Congress and BJP in the house during the debate on budgetary demands of the steel and mines department for 2009-10.
While the Opposition sought a CBI inquiry to unearth truth behind the alleged scam, Steel and Mines minister Raghunath Mohanty maintained that probe by vigilance department was sufficient.
"We demand a CBI probe because the company concerned, allegedly involved in the scam, had its office at Patna in Bihar while its director stayed in London. Therefore, the state vigilance cannot do justice to the investigation," BJP leader in the assembly K V Singhdeo said.
http://www.ptinews.com/news/178250_Opposition-walks-out-over-mining-scam-in-Orissa
Nagargao locals oppose mining in forest land
TNN 17 July 2009, 05:51am IST
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PANAJI: Villagers of Nagargao in Sattari taluka, under the banner of anti-mining Nagargao panchayat level action committee, on Wednesday
submitted a letter to the chief forest officer strongly objecting to any mining activity in forest land, including the Mhadei wildlife sanctuary.
The letter, a copy of which has been submitted on July 16 to 29 other departments, both state and central government, has also demanded that the Goa statepollution control board (GSPCB) should be directed to cancel the environmental public hearing in this regard "to enable the villagers to lead a peaceful, healthy life".
The action committee, which represents the interests of 7 villages in the Nagargao village panchayat area, said that a mining company had approached the mines and industries department for a lease, which will cover the Madei wildlife sanctury. This will adversely affect agricultural activities and the life of villagers.
Pointing out that the Goa government has spent crores of rupees to commission the 5 MLD water project at Dabos, Sattari, for the supply of drinking water to 53 villages in Sattari taluka, the committee has written, "In case the mining activities are taken up then the very water source meant for the supply of drinking water to the villagers will be destroyed. The government of Goa has also made a proposal to increase the quantity of the said water project to 15 MLD".
The letter also states that GSPCB's notice is illegal in terms of Section 2 of the Forest Conservation Act, 1980. It has been alleged in the letter that GSPCB's public notice is "illegal, arbitrary and not maintainable in terms of law".
"The total forest cover is far less than the ideal minimum of one-third of the total land. We can't therefore afford any further shrinkage in the forest cover in our country," the letter reveals. According to the letter, the notified survey numbers in the area within the purview of Madei wildlife sanctuary, "have got high ecological and environmental value".
The letter states that the Regional Plan 2001, shows 10,36,000 sq mts area as orchard area. Survey no 11 to 14 and survey no 15 to 20 are shown as settlement areas consisting of residential houses, agriculture land and buffer zone of Madei Wildlife sanctuary. The survey nos 21 and 61 in Bramhakarmali village have been already declared as Madei Wildlife sanctuary.
The villagers have also stated that in the proposed Regional plan 2021, approved by the Nagargao gram panchayat, the areas have not been put in the mining zone.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-City-Goa-Nagargao-locals-oppose-mining-in-forest-land/articleshow/4787134.cms
Survey on Obulapuram mines from July 20 to 30
TNN 17 July 2009, 04:15am IST
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HYDERABAD: As directed by the Centre, a wing of the Survey of India (SoI) will undertake a survey to demarcate the boundaries of five iron ore
mines in Anantapur district from July 20 to 30 to resolve the dispute over illegal mining.
Sources said the AP Geo-Spatial Data Centre (APGDC) in Hyderabad, a wing of SoI, would take up the survey of five mining leases in Obulapuram village limits in D Hirehal mandal. APGDC director Swarna Subba Rao said the survey would look into the large-scale violations of the Forest (Conservation) Act by the iron ore mines.
In fact, the Union ministry of environment and forests (MoEF) in April this year had asked the state government to immediately suspend the mining leases of five companies -- Obulapuram Mining Company (two leases), Bellary Iron Ore Private Ltd, Y Mahabaleshwarappa and Sons and Anantapur Mining Corporation -- till the demarcation of the boundaries of the mining leases and provision of safety zones.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-City-Hyderabad-Survey-on-Obulapuram-mines-from-July-20-to-30/articleshow/4786828.cms
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Nalco strengthens security at bauxite mines
KalingaTimes Correspondent
Bhubaneswar, July 16: In the aftermath of the naxal attack on April 12, the National Aluminium Company has further strengthened its security measures in its bauxite mines area located in Panchpatmali hills of Koraput. Security arrangements have also been augmented at most vulnerable points such as magazine house, where explosives are stored.
The deployment of CISF personnel has also been increased from 89 to 197 jawans in the bauxite mines, the company said on Thursday.
Special emphasis has been given to fortification of magazine area by providing multi-layer protection system, such as chain link, concertina, barbed wire, power fencing and brick walls around the magazine house at the mines.
As construction of a permanent barrack or any construction in the vicinity of the magazine house is strictly prohibited, the CISF jawans have been provided with well furnished rest sheds, near the magazine house, which are equipped with lighting system, wall mounted fan, exhaust fan, air cooler and vinyl flooring to improve the living conditions for jawans deputed in duty to safeguard the explosives.
Besides this, two new well furnished sheds with folded beds, with cushion, fans, lights with toilet has already been installed. These sheds are similar to the ones used by defence personnel. Uninterrupted power supply has also been provided to the sheds used by CISF jawans. Further, aqua-guard with cooling system bas been installed to provide safe & clean drinking water to the jawans. The above measures have been reviewed and found to be satisfactory by the CISF authorities, the company said.
Permanent barrack in two blocks with all required facilities exists at a distance of 700 mtr from magazine house.
In addition to the above facilities, Nalco has also drastically reduced the storage of explosives at the magazine house.
As per the latest measure, the stock of explosives is kept to the barest minimum of about 4-5 days consumption.
Nalco is now exploring the possibilities of “Blast Free” mining methods, where there is no use of explosives. With these measures, the company hopes to significantly improve the security system and reduce the Maoist threat and carry out its mining operations in a secure environment.
http://www.kalingatimes.com/odisha_news/news2009/20090716_Nalco_strengthens_security_at_bauxite_mines.htm
Mining – International
Hana Mining buys stake in Botswana copper and silver project
Friday, 17 Jul 2009
Mining Weekly reported that TSX listed Exploration Company Hana Mining has agreed to buy an initial, indirect 70% interest in 5 prospecting licences in Botswana, comprising the Ghanzi copper and silver project.
The company reported that it had concluded a share purchase agreement with the shareholders of Stellent, a privately held corporation located in Botswana, which was the holder of the licenses.
The Ghanzi project has an inferred resource of 2.9 billion pounds of copper and 51.1 million ounces of silver.
Under the agreement, Hana Mining would pay a cash consideration of USD 200 00 and issue 166 666 common shares to Stellent. A further 666 666 share purchase warrants would be issued, each warrant entitling the purchase of one additional common share for a period of 24 months, at a price of CAD 0.32. To acquire an additional 20% share in Stellant, Hanna Mining could make a cash payment of USD 9 million is to be paid upon the completion of a positive bankable feasibility study, the sale of all the issued common shares of Hana Mining to a third party or at the company’s election.
Mr Marek Kreczmer CEO of Hana Mining said that "I am very pleased for the company shareholders and for Stellent, as this represents the conclusion of a process of negotiation which began in 2007, with our securing initial rights to explore the ground at Ghanzi and it also reflects the value growth in the resource which we have unlocked over that time.”
For the remaining 10%, Hanna Mining would have to issue 4 million purchase warrants, each entitling the purchase of one additional common share, at a price of CAD 2.00 per share.
(Sourced from miningweekly.com)
http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/07/17/MTAyNjQ4/Hana_Mining_buys_stake_in_Botswana_copper_and_silver_project.html
Brazilian mining company Vale interested in buying Mosaic, newspaper reports
Mosaic operates potash mine at Belle Plaine
The Moose Jaw Times Herald
THE CANADIAN PRESS
SAO PAOLO, Brazil - Brazilian mining giant Vale is considering taking a run at buying major American fertilizer company Mosaic Co. (NYSE:MOS), a company with major operations inSaskatchewan including a potash mine at Belle Plaine, according to a report in a Brazilian newspaper.
Buying Minnesota-based Mosaic could cost Vale, owner of the former Inco nickel mining operation in Canada, about US$25 billion, according to the O Estado de S. Paulo newspaper.
Stock in Mosaic (NYSE:MOS), controlled by privately held U.S. agricultural giants Cargill Inc. and IMC Global, rose $5.07 or more than 11 per cent to US$49.62 in afternoon trading in New York.
Earlier this year, Vale acquired the Regina potash project in Saskatchewan as part of an US$850-million potash deal with Rio Tinto. It also has potash interests in Argentina alongside its major operation, Taquari-Vassouras, in Brazil.
The rumour appeared to fuel interest in major agricultural stocks on the TSX.
Shares in Canadian potash producers all rose sharply in afternoon trading on the Toronto Stock Exchange. The biggest, Potash Corp. (TSX:POT), was ahead $3.87 or four per cent at $101.85.
Potash One Inc. (TSX:KCL) stock was up 29 cents or 12 per cent at $2.78, while Western Potash Corp. (TSXV:WPX) gained three cents to 48.5 cents. Major agricultural conglomerate Agrium (TSX:AGU), which also operates a potash mine, was up $2.24 or five per cent to $45.08.
Meanwhile, shares in Athabasca Potash Inc. (TSX:API), which announced Thursday it may consider selling itself after a successful drive to find partners for the Burr potash mine inSaskatchewan, soared $1.45 or 36 per cent to $5.53.
Mosaic has a major presence in North America and offshore. In Canada, the company has three Canadian potash operations, containing four mines, all located in southernSaskatchewan. Those include a mine at Belle Plaine, two interconnected shaft mines at Esterhazy and another shaft mine at Colonsay.
http://mjtimes.sk.ca/index.cfm?sid=269972&sc=521
Uranium mine digs deeper
NICK CALACOURAS
July 17th, 2009
A URANIUM mine in Kakadu National Park has been given the green light to explore a new ore deposit without the need for environmental assessment.
The Territory Government yesterday gave Energy Resources Australia the approval for further exploration of the Ranger uranium mine in Kakadu National Park.
The company wants to build a 3km long tunnel up to 450m underground.
The mine will need Commonwealth and Territory approval if it is to go ahead.
Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett said that yesterday's decision was only an "exploration approval".
"There is no formal application to mine," he said.
"Nothing has reached me. I have no proposal in front of me.
"Until such time as I have the proposal in front of me, I don't have any further comment."
But Mr Garrett - a former anti-nuclear campaigner - did not rule out approving more uranium mines.
"Any proposal that comes before the government would be considered in the same way that this proposal was - thoroughly, diligently, with a very strong focus on maintaining world's best practice in terms of proposals of this kind," he said.
"I will continue to make sure that the environmental standards are as high as they need to be.
"And I'll take any proposals that come through to us and treat them in that manner."
The NT Department of Natural Resources, Environment, the Arts and Sport issued a statement last night saying the Minister determined that ERA's proposal did not require environmental assessment.
"The proposal by ERA is principally for an exploratory activity to evaluate the viability of underground mining," it said.
"As a result, it was determined that the exploratory activity would be unlikely to have significant environmental impacts."
http://www.ntnews.com.au/article/2009/07/17/67481_ntnews.html
Chinese firm to develop 1 bln T Russian iron mine
Fri Jul 17, 2009 9:17am IST
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SHANGHAI, July 17 (Reuters) - Private Chinese metals company Xiyang Group plans to develop a huge Russian iron ore mine from April 2010, the official China Securities Journal reported on Friday.
The mine, located in Chita, a resource-rich Russian region in southeastern Siberia and near China, has proven reserves of 747 million tonnes and potential reserves of more than 1 billion tonnes, the newspaper said, citing Xiyang chairman Zhou Furen.
"(Mine) conditions are good for exploitation, with an average grade of between 40 and 55 percent and at the highest grade, 65 percent," Zhou was quoted as saying.
The company, which is based in the northern Chinese province of Liaoning, projected 70 percent of the mine's ore could be accessed through opencast working, the newspaper reported, citing information provided by the company.
Chinese companies, both state-owned and private, are eager to acquire overseas iron ore mines to meet huge demand in China, the world's largest steel-making country, following a government call to decrease reliance on major overseas miners.
Xiyang Group planned to build a steel mill close to the mine with a production capacity of 4 million tonnes of steel slab a year, the newspaper said, citing Zhou.
The integrated mining and steel-making project was expected to complete by the end of 2012, Zhou said, adding that the company would invest 3.3 billion yuan ($483 million) in the first phrase.
Xiyang Group is China's largest producer of magnesium-based refractory materials and owns several local steel mills. The company posted sales of more than 20 billion yuan and a profit of 1.5 billion yuan for 2008, according to the company's website.
China has been struggling for years to win favourable iron ore prices from Brazilian miner Vale (VALE5.SA: Quote, Profile, Research) and Australia's BHP Billiton (BHP.AX: Quote, Profile, Research)(BLT.L: Quote, Profile,Research) and Rio Tinto (RIO.AX: Quote, Profile, Research)(RIO.L: Quote,Profile, Research).
This year, annual industry negotiations turned into an international row, with China alleging that Rio employees were involved in spying and bribing Chinese officials.
(To read the latest story on the detention of Rio's China executives, please click [ID:nSP473911]. For a full list of stories on the iron ore talks, see [ID:nSP480484].)
Chinese media have reported potential large ore reserve discoveries, exciting the market, but most of the reserves require high-cost development and maintenance that make commercial production virtually impossible. (Reporting by Alfred Cang and Tom Miles; Editing by Chris Lewis)
http://in.reuters.com/article/oilRpt/idINSHA29443920090717?sp=true
Indonesia says 'foreign countries' linked to attacks
(AFP) – 18 hours ago
JAKARTA — "Foreign countries" could be behind a series of deadly ambushes near a US-owned goldmine in Indonesia's remote Papua province that have killed three people, the defence minister said on Thursday.
The attacks by unidentified gunmen near Freeport McMoRan's massive Grasberg gold and copper mine could be an effort by foreign competitors to close the mine down, Juwono Sudarsono told reporters.
"What I think is don't let Freeport be closed, because it involves global competition over natural resources there are a number of countries that have an interest in destabilising Freeport," Sudarsono said.
Sudarsono said foreign NGOs and governments had a history of backing groups that "agitate" in Papua, which has been the site of a low-level separatist conflict since the 1960s.
Asked which countries he was referring to, Sudarsono said: "Apparently many neighbouring countries to the south."
Indonesia's southern neighbours are Australia and New Zealand.
Sudarsono said he saw no indication the attacks were the work of separatist rebels of the Free Papua Movement (OPM).
Freeport, whose Grasberg mine sits on the world's largest gold reserve, is the single biggest taxpayer to the Indonesian government.
Australian technician Drew Grant, 29, was shot dead Saturday when his car was attacked on the single road from the mountain-top mine, while a Freeport guard was killed in an ambush on the same road Sunday.
A third policeman who fled the Sunday ambush was found dead in a ravine the next day.
Five policemen were wounded Wednesday in a firefight on the road, which has been closed indefinitely to Freeport workers.
Military chief General Djoko Santoso has blamed separatist rebels for the attacks, but police have said there is no indication that is the case.
The apparent skill of the attackers, who used military-issue ammunition, and their ease in evading capture has fuelled speculation by some analysts that security forces are using violence to extort more protection money out of Freeport.
Freeport says it paid more than a million dollars last year for police and military protection, but the military has recently denied receiving any such payments.
Sudarsono on Wednesday told a meeting of foreign journalists he did not believe military or police were involved in the attacks but conceded "rogue elements" from security forces could be responsible.
The violence could be related to a feud between rival groups over illegal mining of Freeport's tailings, he said.
A commander for the Free Papua Movement guerrillas has reportedly denied involvement, although the separatists' armed wing is a disjointed group that acts locally with little central control.
http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hhL9mY9lCfGx4ookXgPDQQC9pgOA
Mongolia Seeks $25 Billion of Investments in Mining (Update1)
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By Shigeru Sato and Michio Nakayama
July 17 (Bloomberg) -- Mongolia is seeking $25 billion of overseas investments in mining in the next five years to develop some of the world’s largest untapped gold and copper resources.
“We want to embark on one large-scale mining project every year, and an investment of $5 billion is required” annually, Prime Minister Sanjaa Bayarsaid in an interview in Tokyo yesterday. “We want countries like Japan to take part because they have technologies to develop gold and copper mines without damaging the natural environment.”
Companies have struggled to start projects in Mongolia. Vancouver-basedIvanhoe Mines Ltd. has tried for more than five years for approval to develop a copper and gold mine. The company faces further delays after Mongolia’s parliament authorized the cabinet yesterday to negotiate a deal, disappointing investors expecting outright approval. Khan Resources Inc. and Centerra Gold Inc., both based in Canada, have had licenses suspended.
“The key issue will be whether the government has the political will to go ahead and create the best environment for international capital to come to the country,” said Alisher Ali Djumanov, chief executive of Eurasia Capital Management, an investment bank focused on Central Asia and Mongolia. “The track record has been mixed at best.”
Bayar, who met with Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso in Tokyo yesterday, said Mongolia needs $5 billion of investment to develop the Tavan Tolgoi coal mine in the Gobi Desert. He didn’t give details of other mining projects or name companies the government is in talks with.
Oyu Tolgoi
The Oyu Tolgoi project that Ivanhoe seeks to develop about 80 kilometers (50 miles) north of the Mongolian border with China may have copper resources of 78.9 billion pounds and 45.2 million ounces of gold resources, the company said last year.
Ivanhoe fell the most in four months in Toronto yesterday on speculation that approval delays continue. Rio Tinto Group called Oyu Tolgoi “the world’s largest undeveloped copper-gold resource” when it agreed to buy 10 percent of Ivanhoe in 2006.
Mongolian ambassador to China, Galsan Batsukh, said yesterday’s vote by lawmakers clears a hurdle for an agreement with Ivanhoe and Rio Tinto because the 76-member parliament will no longer be involved.
The deal will be completed “at the earliest possible date because Mongolia really needs this project started,” Batsukh said by telephone in Beijing today. He declined to give a time frame for reaching an agreement.
‘Must Hasten’
Under a 2007 draft investment agreement, the government would have had the right to a 34 percent equity stake in the project and related taxes equivalent to 55 percent of the profits, Rio Chief Executive Officer Tom Albanese said in February 2008.
Mongolian President Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj said last month he wants to change the terms to allow the government to take 50 percent of the profit, rather than buy an equity stake.
“We must hasten the development of Oyu Tolgoi,” Prime Minister Bayar said yesterday, speaking before news of the parliament’s approval broke. “Amid the severe economic conditions, our gold and copper production isn’t enough,” he said at The New Otani hotel in Tokyo.
Commodities account for more than a third of land-locked Mongolia’s exports and a slump in copper prices amid the global recession has hurt economic growth, prompting an emergency loan from the International Monetary Fund in March to help the country maintain social order.
Economy Slowing
Washington-based IMF projects the country’s economic growth may slow to as little as 3 percent this year from about 9 percent in 2008 because of a drop in exports of commodities.
Mongolia’s copper output totaled 370,000 metric tons in 2007, Japanese government data show, while gold production was about 17 tons, according to a report compiled by the state-controlled Japan Oil, Gas and Metals National Corp. The Tavan Tolgoi mine may have 5 billion tons of coal reserves, according to Jogmec.
Capital inflows will “depend on Oyu Tolgoi and Tavan Tolgoi,” Djumanov said by telephone from Mongolia yesterday. “I think $5 billion a year is something that’s going to be not obtainable the way things are progressing right now.”
Toronto-based Khan Resources Inc. said on July 15 Mongolia suspended one of its uranium mining licenses for unspecified violations. Centerra Gold Inc. said June 12 operating permits for its Boroo mine were suspended and may be revoked after a review.
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601080&sid=aMUH9ORUCB4M
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Stand on climate change unchanged: Shyam Saran
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: Allaying fears that India had diluted its stand on the climate change at the recently concluded G8 meeting in Rome by accepting carbon emission caps, Prime Minister’s Special Envoy on Climate Change Shyam Saran said on Thursday that there was nothing in the declaration to suggest this.
India’s position remained unchanged and the lead in checking emissions had to be taken by the developed countries, Mr. Saran said at a Consultative Dialogue on “India’s Climate Responsive Roadmap for Development,” organised by Oneworld Foundation India.
India, he said, would do whatever it could within the limitations of the available resources. “There can be no contradiction between poverty alleviation, economic and social development and climate change.” India was committed to an “ecologically sustainable growth path.”
Mr. Saran said India’s economy was growing at 8 to 9 per cent annually while the energy consumption was less than 4 per cent. The National Action Plan on Climate Change focused on renewable sources of energy and a solar energy document was also finalised. There would also be a massive increase in the forest cover from 22 per cent now to 33 per cent. An additional 6 million hectare of degraded forest would be revived and this would act as a carbon sink, he said.
Hoping for a “comprehensive, balanced and equitable” outcome at the upcoming Copenhagen meet, Mr. Saran said the outcome should satisfy the world and be relevant to the people. While adaptation was a great challenge for a country like India, mitigation, finance and technology were the four components that were to be addressed. “We need technological and financial support from the developed countries,” he said while hoping that these challenges would be overcome by the time Copenhagen happened. “We are making a slow progress, but we are moving towards an understanding.”
Appreciating the role of Hindu The in highlighting the traditional methods of farming adopted across the country, Mr. Saran said these could be encouraged for replication.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/17/stories/2009071760081200.htm
'25,000 MW power coming through diesel, propelling climate change'
2009-07-16 14:50:00
Around 25,000 MW of power, nearly six times what Delhi requires during peak hours, is being produced by private consumers and commercial units by burning diesel, which is affecting environment and contributing to climate change, a senior official said here Thursday.
'The continuing energy shortage is leading to an increasing use of diesel for power generation, whether in the industrial, commercial, retail or domestic sectors. It is estimated that this may be equivalent to 25,000 megawatt,' New and Renewable Energy Secretary Deepak Gupta told a conference on climate change.
'There is also substantial use of kerosene for lighting in villages and small towns. Both are heavily subsidised and dangerous for the environment. Future economic growth of our country would be crucially dependent on the long-term availability of energy in increasing quantities from sources that are accessible, affordable, and environment friendly,' he added.
The secretary also advised it is better to 'invest in switching the energy system from existing fossil-based energy resources to renewables that are clean and environment friendly. Industry and business must innovate, manufacture, and operate under a new paradigm. Climate change must drive their decision making.'
He said a lot of work is being done, but there is need to do much more.
'A new Mission on Energy Efficiency is to start focussing on the most energy intensive industrial sectors. But there are other important areas -- irrigation pumps, urban water supply systems, street lighting and lighting generally.
'We are trying to maximise the harnessing of hydro, biomass and wind power at the earliest. You may also have heard of our new scheme for roof top solar (panel) to mitigate daytime use of diesel. We hope to deliver 10 percent of the energy mix by 2020 from renewables,' Gupta elaborated.
http://sify.com/news/fullstory.php?a=jhqoOvedcae&title=25_000_MW_power_coming_through_diesel_propelling_climate_change
Demand to declare Allahabad as drought-hit
TNN 16 July 2009, 10:42pm IST
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ALLAHABAD: Bharatiya Janata Party has demanded that the district should be declared as drought-hit and measures be initiated to ameliorate the
sufferings of the farmers, who are facing hardships due to scanty rainfall. The party has also demanded that recovery of revenue from farmers should also be stopped.
Yogesh Shukla, national co-convener of the intellectual cell of BJP has expressed concern and said, "The water is not flowing in the canals and due to less rainfall and farmers the district are numerous problems."
He said that had the government taken pro-active measures and released water in the canals at the appropriate time, the farmers might have been able to sow the paddy crops. Due to the absence of water in the fields, there is probability that the crops would be destroyed.
He said that despite pleas by the farmers, water has not been released in the canals.
Shukla also raised the issue of scarcity of fertilisers and seeds. He said that state government should take steps to provide sufficient amount of fertilisers and seeds to the farmers.
He said that if the state government fails to take the requisite steps, then the party activists would be forced to come out on the streets.
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/NEWS-City-Allahabad-Demand-to-declare-Allahabad-as-drought-hit/articleshow/4786467.cms
Law on human rights needs to be realised, say experts
Ashutosh Shukla / DNA
Friday, July 17, 2009 2:15 IST
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Mumbai: The international law on human rights need to be realised, and realised sooner.
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This was the outcome of the day-long seminar held on the 'Rights of Minorities -- with focus on Bahais in Iran' and organised by Justice and Peace Commission of St Pious College, on Thursday.
The seminar was held on the sidelines of the trial of some members of the Bahai faith in Iran on charges of espionage.
"Human rights education is not merely a university subject but an event based on the principle of universality," professor Theodore Orlin, of Utica University, USA, and president of international human rights education consortium said.
He added, "Ironically, both the abused and the abuser are entitled to Human Rights Protection. The United Nations is committed to its Articles 55 and 56 because of the Holocaust. The good that came from that evil was the hope that it would never happen again; but it has. Events in Darfur and the Congo too have shown that this UN commitment, adopted as far back as 1945, has not been realised."
Shatrughan Jiwnani, director of Office of Public Information at Bahai House of Worship in Delhi and spokesman for the Bahai Community of India, said, "There are over 3 lakh Bahais who total more than other minorities but are still not recognised."
Advocate Marzia Dalal said, "They believe in being loyal to the nation and yet they are persecuted for espionage for Israel just because our international headquarters are based there."
http://www.dnaindia.com/mumbai/report_law-on-human-rights-needs-to-be-realised-say-experts_1274731
No plan for drought-proofing the economy
17 Jul 2009, 0151 hrs IST,
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In June, from peasants to the prime minister's office, everyone was praying for rains. In July, their prayers seem to be heard, and some catching
up of delayed monsoon has occurred. But still, the cumulative rainfall of the country from June 1 to July 9, was deficient by 34% from its Long Period Average (LPA) of 89 cms measured over a fifty-year period of 1941-90.
It is strange that while we boast of resilience of Indian economy from global financial shocks, yet a 15-day delay in monsoon can send jitters to policymakers. The reason for this paradox is the huge under-investment in water resources, as also the almost complete lack of institutional and pricing reforms in the water sector, including power for irrigation.
Indian agriculture is still considered a gamble in monsoons as about 60% of cropped area remains rainfed. This need not be so, and the fate of Indian peasants can change in just five years if the policymakers decide to scale up investments in the irrigation sector, from rainwater harvesting schemes to small and medium, and even large, irrigation schemes to, say, Rs 40,000 crore a year for the next five years, as has been done for National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA) programme.
The reason is that there are more than 400 irrigation projects waiting to be completed, which need a total investment of more than Rs 200,000 crore. But the budgetallocation under Accelerated Irrigation Benefit Programme for 2009-10 is only Rs 9,700 crore.
No wonder, at this pace, Indian peasants will keep looking up to the sky for the next 20 years. Enhanced budget allocations alone will not solve the problem. The irrigation sector needs a major dose of institutional and price reforms to "tame the anarchy".
Unfortunately, there is no such vision, no priority, and there is no solid agenda on the table towards drought-proofing the economy. The proposal for inter-linking of rivers has been gathering dust for years. No wonder then Indian agriculture remains hostage to the vagaries of monsoons.
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/ET-Debate/No-plan-for-drought-proofing-the-economy/articleshow/4787252.cms
HC stay on forest act plea
OUR CORRESPONDENT
Orissa High Court
Cuttack, July 16: Orissa High Court today reserved its judgment on a PIL presented by the Retired Orissa Forest Officers’ Society that challenged the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006.
However, before the two-judge bench of Acting Chief Justice I.M. Qudussi and Justice Sanju Panda reserved its verdict, the government presented its predicament over the distribution of land pattas to tribal citizens, because of an interim restriction imposed nearly a year ago on the implementation of the Act.
Advocate-general Ashok Mohanty stated that land deeds were pending distribution though the final recognition of rights was over.
In an interim order presented in July 2008 on the officers’ PIL, the court had allowed the state to continue with the implementation of the act, but had imposed restrictions on issuance of title deeds, especially in national parks and biosphere reserves.
For the first time, an act was recognising and vesting forest rights and occupation over forestland to Scheduled Tribes and traditional forest dwellers residing in jungles for generations.
The hold over land and forest are important issues in the state since tribal people account for more than one-fifth of the population. Nearly 40,000 tribal people are slated to benefit from the act, while 20,000 would receive forestland in southern Orissa districts such as Koraput, Kalahandi and Kandhamal.
In fact, revenue minister Surya Narayan Patra had already announced that the government would grant land deeds to citizens in jungles under the Forest Rights’ Act as soon as the stay on it was vacated by the high court.
http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090717/jsp/nation/story_11245275.jsp
Unique ID: Nilekani and team have task cut out
NEW DELHI, Jul 17, 2009 (Hindustan Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) -- It seems a tough job lies ahead of Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani and his team to make sure that you get your unique identification number within the next five years.
Convergence in Telecommunication Learn more, download free white paper.
The team, of over 100 professionals, would have to grapple with a database of over 110 crore people and that too from different sources.
In the next few weeks, the Election Commission would provide data of close to 67 crore people, who have been issued voter-identity cards. The rural development ministry would offer database of about 44 crore people, who were identified as living below the poverty line in 2002. And, the National Population Registry would provide data regarding people, who have already enrolled under the scheme.
The Unique Identification (UID) Authority, which functions from two floors in Jeevan Bharati building in Connaught Place, would then come up with its database to generate the number for every citizen.
"Each citizens will get a number which would entitle him to get his or her driving license, passport or PAN card. A citizen without the number would not be entitled for benefit from different government schemes," a planning commission official, who did not want to be named, said.
Unique IDs would be provided to each government office to integrate with its own database for BPL cardholders, driving license, PAN card and NREGA job cards.
http://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2009/07/16/4277626.htm
Concern over forest policy
Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI: The Campaign for Survival and Dignity, a national platform of tribal and forest dwellers organisations, has expressed concern over the Union government’s recent decision to spend huge sums of money collected in the name of “compensatory afforestation.”
In a statement issued here on Thursday, the Campaign said such a policy would accelerate deforestation and result in destruction of wildlife. It would institutionalise a system that encouraged use of forests on payment. It would also displace more tribal people and forest dwellers.
When forests were cleared for changing land use, the locals were neither informed nor consulted. This would also be the case if funds were allocated for compensatory plantations, the statement said. “In both the cases — where forests are destroyed and where compensatory forests are developed — the people lose their land and livelihoods.”
The Campaign said the policy would increase violations of the Forest Rights Act through illegal eviction of cultivators, as the Forest Department would rush to access the huge funds coming in from plantations. Monoculture tree plantation would also cause environmental damage and biodiversity threats.
This would also deny the State governments and local bodies their rightful share of the money, the statement said. “A crucial opportunity to make India’s forest management system more environmentally sensitive, transparent, democratic, and accountable has now been lost.”
“Back door deals”
The Campaign said the Ministry had acted in a blatantly unconstitutional manner, ignoring both Parliament and the State governments and proceeding th
http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/17/stories/2009071754191800.htm
RTI not bureaucrats’ preserve, says report
Vidya Subrahmaniam
NEW DELHI: A recent report on the Right to Information Act has busted the myth that the Act was used mainly by government employees interested in accessing information relating to their careers.
The report, ‘The People’s RTI Assessment-2008,’ said only 15 per cent of the urban applicants and 6 per cent of the rural applicants were government employees. It also dispelled the notion that only the educated better-off accessed the Act: almost 60 per cent of the rural applicants and 40 per cent of the urban applicants were not even graduates.
Further, 30 per cent of the rural applicants and 15 per cent of the urban applicants were from below the poverty line families. However, the RTI users were overwhelmingly men.
Brought out jointly by the Right to Information Assessment and Analysis Group (RaaG) and the National Campaign for People’s Right to Information (NCPRI), the report was based on interviews with 35,000 people in villages, towns and cities across 10 States.
The two RTI groups filed 800 applications and studied data relating to another 25,000.
The report found that four lakh villagers and 16 lakh urban residents used the Act in the first two-and-half years since its enactment. Forty per cent of the rural respondents and 15 per cent of the urban respondents to the survey said they were harassed and threatened by officials.
Many said they were discouraged by Public Information Officers (PIO) from filing applications. Sixty per cent reported success with getting information. Information Commissions rarely invoked the penalty clause to punish errant PIOs. Penalties were imposed in only 284 of the roughly 20,000 cases, in which supply of information was delayed.
The report concluded that the desire for information was huge and widespread. About 65 per cent of those surveyed, including those who had not heard of the Act, saw information as a vital tool and said it would help to solve basic problems.
Keeping this in mind, the report cautioned against the move (by the Department of Personnel and Training) to disallow single-bench hearings of applications. If full-bench hearings were made mandatory, they would adversely affect the functioning of those Information Commissions, including the Central Information Commission, which allowed hearings by single and multiple benches to ensure speedy disposal of cases, the report said.
http://www.hindu.com/2009/07/17/stories/2009071752771100.htm
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