04-08-09

Mining – India 1
1. Mining rights in Tribal Areas 1
2. Tribals attack Vedanta team 2
3. 18 steel cos eligible for mining lease 3
4. Gram sabha nod must for mining proposals 4
5. Mining cos join DHS to fight chikungunya 4
6. Activists oppose govt move on asbestos mining 5
7. Mungantiwar ultimatum to state on Adani mines 7
Mining – Intenational 8
8. China Western Mining loses $15 mln in hedging in H1 8
9. Philippines' Atlas to raise output at copper mine 9
10. Mining group Xstrata announces profit slump 9
11. Sino Gold Mining Plans to Double Production by 2012 10
12. Metorex Ruashi mine beats June quarter copper output 11
13. Patriot Coal to close mine in central Appalachia ' 11
14. China seen going for mining JVs after Rio debacle 12
Other News 13
15. Dead, blind find place in NREGS 13
16. Implement Forest Rights Act: Dwellers 14
17. Newspaper by rural Indian women wins UN literacy award 15
18. Local administration to clear forest projects 16



Mining – India

Mining rights in Tribal Areas
________________________________________
16:54 IST
RAJYA SABHA

No separate Policy has been framed for protection and promotion of interests of Scheduled Tribes of Jharkhand while granting mining rights in Tribal Areas. However, the Government has enunciated the National Mineral Policy, 2008, which seeks to develop a sustainable framework for optimum utilisation of the country’s natural mineral resources for the industrial growth in the country and at the same time improve the life of the people living in the mining areas, which are generally located in the backward and tribal regions of the country.

The Policy also enunciates that efforts will be made to promote small scale mining of small deposits in a scientific and efficient manner, while safeguarding vital environmental and ecological imperatives, and while granting mineral concessions for small deposits in Scheduled Areas, preference shall be given to Scheduled Tribes singly or as cooperatives.

This information was given by the Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs Dr. Tushar A. Chaudhary in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.

VBA/BS

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Tribals attack Vedanta team
Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, BHAWANIPATNA, 3 AUG: In what appeared to be a swift retaliatory action, tribals armed with traditional weapons intercepted, attacked and drove away a survey team of the Vedanta Alumina company even as they were moving towards the Niyamgiri hill top today.
Ten persons from the VAL were proceeding to the hill top to conduct pre-mining demarcation survey work today when they were intercepted. The survey team escaped unhurt but the armed tribals damaged the vehicle in which they were traveling.
They were carrying bow and arrows and an axe, said police sources in Lanjigarh. Fearing the worst, the team fled, leaving behind the vehicle which was subsequently torched by the angry tribals, said reliable sources. The sources said the miscreants were from the bordering Rayagada district and had warned the VAL officers not to venture into the Niyamgiri hills.
A police team led by SDPO Mr AKNayak is camping at Lanjigarh and investigating into the matter but they have not visited the spot fearing the involvement of Maoists. Since there is speculation over whether the mob was carrying guns, police have been very cautious, said these sources.
It is also learnt that the company authorities are yet to lodge a formal police complaint as they are exploring avenues for an ‘amicable settlement’.
Meanwhile a section of social activists in Rayagada and Kalahandi districts believe that todays incident was retaliatory in nature as unidentified goons had waylaid a team of rights activists at Dahikhal on 25 July when they were on their way to address a meeting opposing the mining of the Niyamgiri hills by VAL.
The activists, including Mr Prafulla Samantara, Gandhian Professor Mr Bhagabat Rath and Mr Lingaraj, were shooed away by the miscreants who allegedly ordered them not to act against VAL. Mr Samantara and others were however rescued by local people and tribals. They had lodged a FIR in this connection and stated that if the police failed to prevent such crime and protect the democratic rights of activists, tribals who are resisting the mining of the Niyamgiri hills will be forced to defend themselves.
Mr Samantara today said he had submitted a copy of his FIR to the DGP for necessary action as he did not trust the local police.
Addressing a Press conference at Bhubaneswar today Mr Samantara who has been leading the anti-mining movement said Niyamgiri is ecologically critical to the state and country. It is also worshipped by the tribes of the region, he said, while referring at length to the protests in London last week wherein celebrities like Joanna Lumley, Bianca Jagger and Arundati Roy had impressed upon the Church of England’s ethical investment group to take note of the plight of the Dongria Kondh tribes of the Niyamgiri hills.
The voice of the Dongria Kondh tribe has reached London, but here in Orissa the government has turned deaf, alleged Mr Samantara.
He charged that expansion of the VAL project in Lanjigarh started well before the public hearing was held in Belamba on 25 May, 2009 and it continues without waiting for any formal clearance from the ministry of environment and forests.
Local activists and international organizations will start probing into the political funding aspects, he said, while demanding that a team of experts from the ministry inspect Niyamgiri and verify the damage already done to the hills. "Niyamgiri should be declared a national ecological heritage and protected," he said.
Raising another issue, Mr Samantara said mining in Niyamgiri cannot be allowed due to the passage of the Forest Rights Act 2006 as Section 4 (5) of the act bars the removal of any tribe or forest dweller.
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=263384



18 steel cos eligible for mining lease

Bishnu Dash / Kolkata/ Bhubaneswar August 4, 2009, 0:24 IST

Eighteen out of the 49 steel companies who signed memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Orissa government for setting up of steel projects in the state, have become eligible for the grant of mineral concession as per the terms and conditions embodied in the MoU.
While 9 companies are in the process of obtaining prospecting license (PL) or mining lease (ML), the process is yet to take off for other 9 companies. The government has so far signed MoU with 49 steel companies envisaging a combined capacity of 78 million tonne with an aggregate investment of Rs 1,98,150 crore.
The companies which have become eligible for grant of mining lease are Posco India, Visa Industries, Action Ispat and Power, Adhunik Metaliks, Deepak Steel and Power, OCL Iron and Steel, Jindal Stainless Ltd., Bhushan Steel and Strips, Arati Steel, Patnaik Steel and Alloys Ltd., official sources said.
Consistent with the policy to provide raw material security to the MoU signed companies, the government has recommended prospecting license (PL) application of Posco India, billed as the largest foreign direct investment (FDI) proposal, for an area of 2500 hectares for the Khandadhar iron ore mines in Sundergarh district to the Centre.
Similarly, three other steel companies namely SMC Power Generation, Action Ispat and Power, Jindal Stainless Ltd have been recommended for grant of PL or mining lease (ML).
The government has recommended for grant of ML over 246.039 hectares in village Khandbandh, Jaladihi and Baitarani RF in Keonjhar district in favour of SMC Power Generation Ltd. The company is setting up a 0.25 million tonne per annum (MTPA) sttel plant in the first phase at Hirma (Jharsuguda),
Action Ispat and Power has been recommended for grant of PL over 235 hectares in Unchabali area and Jindal Stainless Ltd for PL over 892 hectares in Horomoto of Keonjhar district.
Besides, terms and conditions for grant of PL or ML have been issued in favour of five companies, such as Bhushan Steel, Adhunik Metaliks, Sree Metaliks, Deepak Steels and Power, OCL Iron and Steel.
The terms and conditions for issue of PL over an area of 280.755 hectares in village Marsuan, Tiriba and Narasingpur in Keonjhar district has been issued in favour Bhushan Steel, which is setting up a 3 million tonne steel plant at Meramundali in the first phase.
Similarly, the terms and conditions for ML have been issued in favour of Adhunik Metaliks, setting up a steel plant near Rourkela, over 109.79 hectares in Deojhar-Kulum area of Keonjhar district.
The terms and conditions for grant of ML was also issued in favour of Sree Metaliks, setting up its project at Loidapada (near Barbil) in Keonjhar district, over 35.774 hectares in Khandabandh area of the same district.
Besides, the terms and conditions for grant of mining lease have been issued to Deepak Steels and Power (over 38.67 hectares in Kahandabandh ) and OCL Iron and Steel (over 45.131 hectares area in Kundaposi in Keonjhar district).
However, the government is yet to recommend the case of Visa Industries, Scaw Industries, Maheswary Ispat, Eastern Steel and Power, SPS Sponge Iron, Patnaik Steel and Alloys and Viraj Steel and Energy for grant of PL or ML, sources added.
It may be noted, the state government has formulated guidelines for making recommendation for grant of prospecting license (PL) or mining lease (ML). Accordingly, the assessment of the quantum of deposit for mineral concession is done based on the first phase requirement which is 1.6 times of the steel making capacity of the MoU signed companies for a period of 25 years.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/18-steel-cos-eligible-for-mining-lease/365792/


Gram sabha nod must for mining proposals
Nitin Sethi, TNN 4 August 2009, 02:23am IST
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NEW DELHI: In a giant leap towards making the Forest Rights Act effective, the environment ministry has informed states that it would not approve


any forest clearance proposals till the consent of the gram sabhas has been sought for the projects.

The move, bound to come as a shocker to the infrastructure project proponents, especially the mining lobby, would ensure that the provisions of the Forest Rights Act are not ignored while handing over forest lands to developers.

The Forest Rights Act, the implementation of which is in the hands of the tribal affairs ministry, is meant to hand back traditional rights of the forest-dwellers in a time-bound fashion. It also demands that forest lands cannot be diverted without first settling the individual and community rights of the tribals and others dependent.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/india/Gram-sabha-nod-must-for-mining-proposals/articleshow/4854386.cms

Mining cos join DHS to fight chikungunya

TNN 4 August 2009, 04:27am IST
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MARGAO: The mining companies have now joined hands with health services in operations aimed at controlling the outbreak of chikungunya in some


remote parts of Sanguem taluka, with the district administration keeping a close watch on the operations.

At a meeting convened by deputy collector of Quepem Venancio Furtado representatives of the mining companies having plants in the affected areas assured to offer their "wholehearted" support to the directorate of health services (DHS) to combat the vector borne disease. The meeting was attended by senior administrative managers and medical officers attached to the mining companies, medical officers attached to the primary health centres of Cacora, Quepem and Sanguem, representatives of the local branch of the Indian Medical Association (IMA), besides local elected members of the village and zilla panchayat members.

Several prominent companies that have mining operations in the affected areas have assured to provide vehicles, labourers and medicines to assist the medical team of the DHS in the "intensive surveillance drive" that got underway on Monday. The drive is expected to continue for the next ten days and will conclude with a medical camp to be organized on August 14 at Shree Shantadurga Devasthan hall, Colomba, sources informed.

"The drive is aimed at controlling not only chikungunya but creating awareness about how vector control would help eradicate malaria, filaria, dengue and cerebral encephalitis, too," Shankar Nadkarni, general secretary of the IMA, Curchorem-Quepem-Sanguem branch, who has been appointed coordinator of the medical camp, told TOI.

Nadkarni further underscored the need to screen all migrant labourers staying in the affected areas and provide them with health cards. "With the onset of monsoons, all mining companies close their operations, and the migrant mining labourers return to their native places to cultivate land. There is every possibility that these migrants may turn out to be carriers of the disease when they return to Goa from their home places. Besides, a sizeable number of migrant populace is also employed in orchards, sugarcane plantations, dairies, poultries, etc in many remote areas of Sanguem. Screening these labourers and providing them with health cards is a crucial preventive measure," he added.

On Sunday, IMA state president A O Nazareth, accompanied by DHS officials and medical officers of the mining companies, visited the affected areas of Colomba, Kevona, Mascavrem, Sulcorna and neighbouring villagers to take stock of the situation.

Meanwhile, officials of the DHS informed TOI on Monday that the situation as regards the endemic disease was "under control".

"Though sporadic cases (typical of chikungunya) are being reported, it (the outbreak) is well under control," deputy director, national vector borne disease control program (NVBDCP), Dipak Kabadi stated.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/goa/Mining-cos-join-DHS-to-fight-chikungunya/articleshow/4854364.cms

Activists oppose govt move on asbestos mining

Anindo Dey, TNN 4 August 2009, 02:09am IST
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JAIPUR: Environmentalists and non-governmental organisations in the state opposed the decision of mines department to approach Centre for


reopening asbestos mines in the state.

The groups not only reiterated health hazards posed by asbestos, especially from the Amphibolite variety found in Rajasthan, but also brought to fore cases of asbestosis prevalent among the mine workers in the state.

The department of mines has been planning to approach the Centre for lifting the ban on granting fresh lease or the renewal of lease on asbestos mines. The department argues that though asbestos is being mined in the state since the past 40 years, not even one case of asbestosis has been reported.

The department's plea is also based on an Indian Bureau of Mines (IBM) study that too sought the removal of ban on both the Chrysolite and the Amphibolite variety of asbestos.

However, according to Rana Sengupta of the Mines Labour Protection Campaign (MLPC), the recent report of the Central Pollution Control Board has contradicted to the IBM report. And while it has taken a soft stand for Chrysolite asbestos it recommends a ban on mining of Amphibolite asbestos.

A recent health check-up of 89 mine workers, formerly employed in asbestos mines in the state, had indicated that the condition of eight of them was extremely critical. The check-up was facilitated by MLPC.

The screening suggested that all these 10 people have symptoms that point to their being afflicted with asbestosis. The people are mostly residents of Netaji ka Bada in Udaipur district and have been working in the unorganised asbestos mines for long time.

The people were screened by Raghunath Manwar, an activist of Occupational Health and Safety Group, an Ahmedabad-based group.

But a series of tests need to be done before a person can be officially certified to be afflicted with cancer resulting from asbestosis and the final results are yet awaited.

Equally shocked was Madhumita Dutta of Chennai-based campaign group Corporate Accountability Desk, who has also been fighting for the rights of mine workers in Rajasthan.

"It is appalling to see how apathetic and blind the state government is to the plight of thousands of workers who are dying a slow and painful death due to past exposure to asbestos dust while working in the mines and mills dotted across Udaipur and surrounding districts. Government institutions like National Institute of Occupational Health-Ahmedabad, Indian Toxicological Research Centre-Lucknow have done several studies in this area over the last few years to show the deplorable working conditions and consequent cases of asbestosis amongst the workers in the asbestos mines and mills of Rajasthan," she said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/jaipur/Activists-oppose-govt-move-on-asbestos-mining/articleshow/4854157.cms

Mungantiwar ultimatum to state on Adani mines

TNN 4 August 2009, 03:30am IST
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NAGPUR: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA from Chandrapur, Sudhir Mungantiwar gave an ultimatum to the state government to clear its stand on


proposed Adani coal blocks in Lohara, close to Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve (TATR).

"I have asked the government, specially Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader and forest minister Babanrao Pachpute, to clear their stand on the Adani mines before August 9, otherwise a decisive agitation will be launched against the government and the mining project," Mungantiwar said.

The MLA told reporters at Nagpur that Adanis, a leading coal importer, should use imported coal for power plant in Tiroda in Gondia district. The company would face stiff opposition from all the parties if it did not change its plans to carry out mining near Tadoba. All parties, including Chandrapur unit of NCP, were against the mining project, he said.

When asked about cluster of mining activity threatening to come near Tadoba, Mungantiwar said it was not Adani alone but he was opposing the projects of Murli Agro-Grace in Lohara (east) and Maharashtra State Mining Corporation (MSMC) in Agarzari as well as others.

The Lohara coal mining project has a minimum expanse of 1750 hectares of which 1573.56 hectares is dense reserve forest and additional expanse of 500 hectares for dumping and disposal of overburden (OB). Thus a total of 2073 hectares of reserve forest rich with wildlife will be lost. Further additional forest area is likely to be destroyed by way of building approach roads, railway sidings and labour colonies, cautioned Mungantiwar.

"Once the proposal gets clearance it will open floodgates to other mining companies which are waiting for permission for coal excavation from areas adjacent to TATR. The Adani mines envisages use of 55 tonnes of explosives per day. The damage and disturbance caused due to the sound pollution, vibrations and dust thrown up in the air will be immense. We will be sacrificing our painstaking efforts to conserve wildlife," he said.

The MLA said the OB to be excavated and dumped elsewhere would cause contamination of water. The silt from it would stymie the rivers and streams in area. Besides, two lakes situated within the Lohara-Junona forests would also get choked and would be rendered useless.

The migration corridor used by wildlife from TATR to Indravati reserve passes through Lohara-Junona area. Mining operations would destroy the same resulting in inbreeding and exposure to harmful recessive traits, he said.

Mangantiwar informed that Chandrapur was one of the most polluted cities in India and allowing further mining would only increase the pollution. It was already taking its toll and nearly 40% of the children in the district suffer asthmatic problems.

The BJP leader said no doubt, power generation was the need of the hour and essential for development. "We are not against any particular company but we wish that the coal requirement be met from some alternative areas that will not cause harm to the environment," he added.

Mungantiwar further said nobody could compensate for loss of wildlife. "Money can neither restore forest, nor wildlife built by nature over millions of years. The same holds true for human life as well," he said.

http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/nagpur/Mungantiwar-ultimatum-to-state-on-Adani-mines/articleshow/4854351.cms

Mining – Intenational

China Western Mining loses $15 mln in hedging in H1

Mon Aug 3, 2009 7:31am EDT


BEIJING, Aug 3 (Reuters) - Western Mining Co, China's second largest lead miner, said on Monday it had lost 100 million yuan ($14.64 million) on hedging contracts in the first half, fuelling a 90 percent year-on-year plunge in its net profit growth.
Western Mining (601168.SS), in which a unit of Goldman Sachs (GS.N) holds a 3.1 percent stake, said in its first-half report that the losses were due to a sudden second-quarter reverse in non-ferrous metal prices, which had tumbled in late 2008 and early 2009.
The company holds a licence to trade futures abroad, but did not give details of where the losses took place or on what kinds of products.
State media reported that Western Mining traded a range of futures from copper and aluminium to zinc and lead, but the main product it trades on futures exchanges is alumina, with three quarters of deals done through overseas contracts.
China's state-owned corporations have suffered billions of dollars of losses related to commodity price fluctuations or forex trading over the past year.
Three airlines -- Air China (601111.SS)(0753.HK), Shanghai Airlines (600591.SS) and China Eastern (600115.SS) -- reported book losses totalling 13.17 billion yuan ($1.94 billion) as of the end of January on aviation fuel hedging contracts. [ID:nPEK206094] (Reporting by Eadie Chen and Chen Aizhu, Editing by Emma Graham-Harrison/Will Waterman) (eadie.chen@reuters.com; +8610 6627 1268; Reuters Messaging: eadie.chen.reuters.com@reuters.net)) ($1=6.831 Yuan)

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSPEK20051020090803


Philippines' Atlas to raise output at copper mine

Tue Aug 4, 2009 5:24am EDT

MANILA, Aug 4 (Reuters) - Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp (AT.PS), the Philippines' second-largest miner, plans to increase copper concentrate production at its Toledo mine as it ships more of the concentrate to China, the company said on Tuesday.
Encouraged by higher prices, some metals producers worldwide are reopening mines and expanding capacity in anticipation of a pick-up in demand as the global economy mends.
Atlas said it planned to increase mining and milling production rate at its Toledo mine in central Cebu province to 35,000 tonnes per day (tpd) this month from 20,000 tonnes (tpd) at present.
"Forward planning and development activities are well under way to increase production to 42,000 tpd by mid-2010, and approximately 50,000 tpd by the second quarter of 2011," Atlas said in a statement to Manila's stock exchange.
Copper prices in London MCU3 touched a 10-month high of $6,070 a tonne on Tuesday, and nearly doubled values this year, thanks to firm Chinese demand and signs the world economy is pulling out of recession.
Atlas said it has shipped 37,832.26 wet metric tons (wmt) of copper concentrate so far to China, for processing as part of a 60,000-tonne supply deal with Swiss firm MRI Trading. Further shipments, totalling 11,000 wmt, are expected this month.
Operations at the Toledo mine, estimated to have deposits of 874 million tonnes of copper ore with an average grade of 0.41 percent, resumed in July last year after a 14-year hiatus due to lack of funding to repair damage caused by typhoons. (Reporting by Manolo Serapio Jr.; Editing by Ben Tan)

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssIndustryMaterialsUtilitiesNews/idUSMAN25920620090804



Mining group Xstrata announces profit slump

(AFP) – 2 hours ago
GENEVA — Swiss mining group Xstrata reported a 77-percent slump in first-half profit to 643 million dollars (446 million euros) on Tuesday and said it needed a merger with Anglo American to compete with bigger rivals.
Xstrata said in a statement that its results reflected "adverse market conditions" with the global economic slowdown, a collapse in demand and commodity prices "near all time lows".
Six-month sales fell by 39 percent to 9.87 billion dollars while operating profit dropped by 63 percent compared to the figure for the first half of 2008, to 1.67 billion dollars.
Attributable profit over the first half of the year minus exceptional items amounted to 909 million dollars, a drop of 68 percent over the same period last year.
Xstrata maintained its proposal for "a merger of equals" with Anglo American group, citing the trend for consolidation in the industry this decade and benefits for shareholders in both companies through economies of scale.
"The value proposition of putting these two companies together is highly compelling," said chief executive Mick Davis, as he sought to woo shareholders from both firms.
"Combining Xstrata with Anglo American is widely accepted to represent the most compelling major combination in the industry, by virtue of our complementary asset and commodity and project portfolios, geographic proximity in key regions and the substantial and unique synergy potential of an enlarged entity."
"The combination would create a new major diversified mining powerhouse, able to compete more effectively with our larger peers including BHP Billiton, Rio Tinto and Vale," he told shareholders.
Xstrata estimated that a tie-up could yield annual synergies of about one billion dollars after three years, for a one off cost in the first two years of about 500 million dollars.
But its British-South African rival rejected the merger proposal in June, dismissing it as "totally unacceptable."
Anglo American last week posted a 30.6 percent drop in its first half net profit to 2.97 billion dollars.
A merger would create a company worth more than Rio Tinto, which in June cancelled a controversial tie-up with China's Chinalco in favour of a joint venture with the world's biggest miner BHP Billiton.
Anglo American has a market value of about 35 billion dollars and Xstrata 33 billion dollars.
Xstrata believes it is well positioned to take advantage of an eventual "robust" recovery in industrial demand for commodities.
But Davis cautioned that it was "somewhat premature" to believe that the world was returning to pre-financial crisis conditions.
"As an industry, it is important to remember that a full recovery is not yet definitively under way as we execute our plans for the future," he said.


http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5g-LKz3qYepx3swvKDP9Rfz1X1x0g

Sino Gold Mining Plans to Double Production by 2012

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By Jason Scott
Aug. 3 (Bloomberg) -- Sino Gold Mining Ltd., owner of China’s second-largest gold mine, plans to double production of the precious metal by 2012, helped by the start of new mines.
The Eastern Dragon mine, to start in late 2010, will produce an average of 90,000 ounces a year at a cost of $125 per ounce for at least five years, Chief Operating Officer Cobb Johnstone said today at the Diggers and Dealers conference in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. He didn’t say what the targeted output was, or the comparison for the doubling projection.
“It starts to give us some pretty attractive margins,” Johnstone said of Eastern Dragon, in Heilongjiang province. “Gold price margins in 2009 should be close to $500 an ounce.”
China, where Sino Gold is targeting to start as many as five gold mines to add to its Jinfeng, White Mountain and Eastern Dragon projects, may overtake India as the world’s top gold consumer this year, the World Gold Council said July 24.
Sino Gold rose 2.8 percent to close at A$5.44 in Sydney trading. Gold has gained 8.3 percent this year, and traded at $954.83 an ounce at 4:37 p.m. Singapore time.
The company wants to cut production costs to $300 an ounce, Johnstone also said. The company produced gold at an average cost of $391 an ounce in the second quarter.
To contact the reporter responsible for this story: Jason Scott in Kalgoorlie atJscott14@bloomberg.net


http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601081&sid=aLDYnX69q8sM

Metorex Ruashi mine beats June quarter copper output

Tuesday, 04 Aug 2009
Reuters reported that diversified mining group Metorex Limited copper output at its Ruashi mine in the Democratic Republic of Congo exceeded June quarterly expectation of 4,500 tonnes at 5,245 tonnes.

Metorex said in a statement that cobalt output exceeded the 450 tonnes expected as 568 tonnes of cobalt was produced. It said that the resource and reserve infill drilling program was still on track at Ruashi mine and that it planned to report new resource and reserve figures in September.

Mr Terence Goodlace CEO of Metorex said that "The Ruashi mine exceeded our June 2009 quarterly copper production expectation of 4,500 tonnes by producing 5,245 tonnes."

Metorex said it planned to construct a sulphuric acid plant to reduce operational risk and costs of importing sulphuric acid from Zambia. It said that major works on the new mine tip, jaw crusher and coarse ore stockpile were expected to be completed by December this year.

It added that major power outages were expected in August due to planned rehabilitation works at the Inga and Ngezi Hydro power stations but it did not indicate the impact this would have on operations and production.

(Sourced from Reuters)

http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/08/04/MTA1NDc5/Metorex_Ruashi_mine_beats_June_quarter_copper_output.html

Patriot Coal to close mine in central Appalachia '
Mon Aug 3, 2009 7:45am EDT

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MARKET NEWS
Stock futures point lower
Global stocks, commodities slip; dollar flat | Video
Oil slips below $71 ahead of expected stock build | Video
More Business & Investing News...
* Says to close Samples surface mine in central Appalachia
* To terminate services of all employees at the mine
* To focus on low-cost mining complexes Aug 3 (Reuters) - Patriot Coal Corp (PCX.N) said it will close one of its central Appalachia mines, located in southern West Virginia, resulting in the termination of all employees working there, effective Oct. 5.
The St. Louis-based company said it was trying to balance its production levels with soft thermal coal demand through focusing on production at lower-cost mining complexes.
"By ceasing operations at this higher-cost surface mine, Patriot will keep valuable permitted reserves in the ground until the market yields more favorable pricing and margins," Chief Executive Richard Whiting said in a statement.
The Samples surface mine, which is part of Patriot Coal's Paint Creek mining complex, has an annual production rate of about 2.5 million tons of thermal coal.
Patriot Coal, which produces and markets coal in eastern United States, has 15 active mining complexes in the Appalachia and Illinois basins.
Shares of the company closed at $8.37 Friday on the New York Stock Exchange.
For the alerts, double-click [ID:nWNBB7750] (Reporting by Shradhha Sharma in Bangalore; Editing by Vinu Pilakkott)

http://www.reuters.com/article/rbssEnergyNews/idUSBNG49821620090803

China seen going for mining JVs after Rio debacle
Mon Aug 3, 2009 12:04pm EDT

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MARKET NEWS
Global stocks, commodities slip; dollar flat | Video
Oil falls after 3 percent rally, supply build-up seen | Video
Nikkei at 10-month closing high, Toyota reports after bell
More Business & Investing News...
By Tricia Wright - Analysis
LONDON (Reuters) - China, bruised by the collapse of a proposal to buy a Rio Tinto stake, could confine itself to project-level deals with miners to feed its hunger for metals and shun company acquisitions to avoid further loss of face.
State-owned metals group Chinalco was pinning its hopes on a $19.5 billion tie-up with Rio Tinto, which would have guaranteed it metal supply, but that deal failed as shareholders disapproved and rising metal prices allowed Rio to raise money by a rights issue.
China has a pressing need for raw materials, particularly iron ore and copper, to fuel the leap in construction from the government's infrastructure-heavy $586 billion stimulus package.
But its experience with Rio could lead to a different approach: buy stakes in mines rather doing company-level deals.
"I think it's very unlikely that Chinese companies are going to go for hostile takeovers or anything like that. Also, I don't think they want to run these companies now. What they want is the product, that's the key thing," said Tim Williams, director of global mining & metals at Ernst & Young.
"They'd want to keep the existing management in place; don't rock the boat, but do a deal, structure some sort of arrangement. They haven't got the experience of running modern mines, so they need the existing management, and they don't want to upset anybody," he said.
Since the start of 2009, copper has soared by over 94 percent, nickel is up more than 60 percent, and aluminum up more than 27 percent, on hopes of a Chinese recovery.
FODDER FOR M&A TALK
This has also given rise to rumors that China is on the prowl for acquisitions. Market talk has swirled in recent weeks that Anglo American was in Beijing's sights as a bid target, prized for both its iron ore and copper projects.
Africa-focused smaller copper miners First Quantum Minerals
and Equinox Minerals were also touted as good fits for China.
But coming in at the project level, with both larger and smaller miners, could work better. The Chinese could put up the development money in exchange for a shareholding in the mine and an offtake agreement for the product.
A good example of a project level deal, said Williams, was the arrangement last year between blue-chip Chilean copper miner Antofagasta and Japanese trading firm Marubeni Corp, where the miner sold a 30 percent stake in the Esperanza project to Marubeni for $1.3 billion to help finance the mine's construction.
"Do I think they would try and actually buy outright a major mining company? No, because it could create political difficulties," said Charles Gibson, head of mining research at Edison Investment Research.
"Would they buy a junior mining company? No, I don't think so, because that gives them an operational headache when they have to manage their assets in the middle of Africa somewhere,
http://www.reuters.com/article/innovationNews/idUSTRE5723UI20090803
Other News

Dead, blind find place in NREGS


Express News Service
First Published : 04 Aug 2009 11:10:55 AM IST
Last Updated : 04 Aug 2009 12:25:55 PM IST

SAMBALPUR: They had appeared in pension, welfare schemes and even in voters’ lists in some districts. Now, the dead have been engaged in works under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) in Sambalpur district.
A dead man, Banchanidhi Sahu and his fellow villager Sukuru Suna have been engaged in the construction of a road from Podamal village to Sahebi rural development (RD) road in the Maoist-infested Naktideul block of the district under the NREGS. A job card bearing number 0349 has been allotted to Banchanidhi, who died 30 years back. Similarly, Suna who had died a couple years back has been mentioned as a labourer in the construction work of a road and wages have been withdrawn in his name.
The incident has exposed yet another fraud in the welfare scheme. The story does not end here. Even the names of physically challenged persons, retired government employees, teachers and drivers find place in the payroll of the NREGS and money has been withdrawn in their names fraudulently.
Though octogenarian Dwitiya Behera is blind and is incapable of performing her daily chores, she has been allotted a job card bearing number 00184. A science teacher of Naktideul and a retired forest guard Jayadev Majhi have found place in the rolls as labourers for construction of roads under NREGS.
Besides, though Sashibhusan Sahu - job card no. 00228, Sanu Sahu - job card no. 00359 and Suresh Dehury - job card no. 5633 are staying in a separate places and working as drivers, they have been treated as labourers under the scheme and wages have been withdrawn in their names too.
Even as large-scale irregularities continue in the execution of NREGS in the district, the authorities have turned a blind eye. While DRDA Project Director William Bilung could not be contacted, Sambalpur ZP president Sobharam Pradhan said he had already ordered a probe into the charges.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Dead,+blind+find+place+in+NREGS&artid=K/FyqiwadPQ=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=


Implement Forest Rights Act: Dwellers


Express News Service
First Published : 04 Aug 2009 11:08:52 AM IST

BHUBANESWAR: Tribal inhabitants and forest-dwellers today pressed for their forest rights through a huge rally in the city.
The Campaign for Survival and Dignity, a national forum for the tribals and forest-dwellers, protested non-implementation of Forest Rights Act by taking out a rally which saw participation of hundreds of tribals from across the State.
Its Orissa convenor Nikunja Bhutia said, a total of 2,90,273 individual and 1,616 community claims were filed.
As yet, 1,53,051 individual and 351 community claims have been passed by the gram sabhas, while 37,269 individual and 73 community claims have been ratified by the sub-divisional-level committees.
The district-level committee has given its nod to 30,749 individual and 45 community claims.
Just 78 claims have been rejected. `Pattas’ should be handed over to the tribals in this regard at the earliest, he demanded.
Meanwhile, apprehending damage to Niyamgiri, Lok Shakti Abhiyan today said a team from Ministry of Environment and Forests must visit the home of the Dongria Kandh to assess the extent of vulnerability.
A team of activists visited the region and said the Niyamgiri hill should be declared a National Ecological Heritage so that abode of the Dongria Kandhs is protected.
Alleging dumping of toxic waste in Vansadhara river, the activists demanded a probe into the matter. A commission of inquiry must be constituted so as to investigate corporate crimes and violation of established laws of the land, Prafulla Samantray, one of the activists said.
The Lok Shakti Abhiyan also demanded distribution of `pattas’ to the tribals who come under forest-dwellers rights.

http://www.expressbuzz.com/edition/story.aspx?Title=Implement+Forest+Rights+Act:+Dwellers&artid=M4VmsbU2VNo=&SectionID=mvKkT3vj5ZA=&MainSectionID=fyV9T2jIa4A=&SectionName=nUFeEOBkuKw=&SEO=


Newspaper by rural Indian women wins UN literacy award

United Nations (IANS): A newspaper produced entirely by women in rural India is among the four winners of this year's Literacy Prizes awarded by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco).
Khabar Lahariya, the fortnightly newspaper distributed to more than 20,000 readers in Uttar Pradesh, is entirely created and marketed by newly literate "low caste" women who are training as journalists in Chitrakoot and Banda districts.
The King Sejong Literacy Prize was given to this fortnightly paper, started by Nirantar -- a centre for gender and education based in New Delhi and Uttar Pradesh.
In 1989, the Unesco's King Sejong Literacy Prize was instituted by South Korea. It is named after Sejong the Great of the 14th century who created the Korean alphabet Hangul and is remembered for his contribution to education in the areas of science, technology and literature. Each winner is awarded $20,000.
Nirantar has developed a method of training women as journalists, which involves developing their literacy skills as well as honing their reporting abilities. This includes talking to public figures, gathering information and sharpening their editing skills.
The coverage of Khabar Lahriya includes politics, crime, social issues and entertainment for their readership that spans 400 villages in both districts of India's most populous state.
The publication began in May 2002 in Chitrakoot and a second edition was launched in the adjoining Banda district in October 2006, according to the NGO's website. It is written in the local dialect Bundeli for its Bundelkhandi readership.
The other prizes given by Unesco in recognition of innovative programmes designed to teach women, adolescents and other marginalised populations how to read and write, went to programmes in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso and the Philippines.
The Pashai Language Development Project in Afghanistan provides literacy, livelihood, public health and nutrition education to about 1,000 ethnic minority Pashai men and women annually.
An honourable mention also went to a programme in Bhutan for its holistic approach to literacy and its success in reaching remote areas, with an emphasis on literacy as an integral part of the country's "Gross National Happiness" as well as its focus on adults and out-of-school youth, particularly women and girls.
The theme for this year's awards was "Literacy and Empowerment" and the laureates were proclaimed by Unesco Director-General Ko?chiro Matsuura on the recommendation of an international jury.
The award ceremony will be held at Unesco Headquarters in Paris Sep 8 to coincide with International Literacy Day.
http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/holnus/001200908041021.htm

Local administration to clear forest projects

The ministry says states will need to get a letter from each gram sabha concerned
Padmaparna Ghosh
New Delhi: India’s environment ministry has said that all proposals to use forest land for industrial and other projects have to be cleared by the local administrative body concerned, thereby giving teeth to a 2008 law which seeks to protect the rights of tribals and other forest dwellers.
The move will likely affect mining companies. According to the ministry of environment and forests, 50,000ha of forest forest area will need to be diverted for coal exploration and production in the next seven-eight years, only for Coal India Ltd.
Listen to a podcast with Praveen Bhargav, a trustee of Wildlife First and a member of the National Board for Wildlife, on the importance of ensuring that all forest clearance proposals get a green signal from ‘gram sabhas’

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In a letter sent on Monday to state governments, the ministry said that all proposals involving use of forest land need to be backed by the consent of the corresponding gram sabha (village administration).
This new requirement strengthens the Forest Rights Act (FRA) of 2006 that has been in force since 1 January.
According to that law, forest land can be used for non-forest purposes only after the affected forest dwellers have been resettled in so-called green areas.
Monday’s letter means that this use will now need the sanction of the gram sabha.
An activist termed the ministry’s act a “very significant move”.
Awaiting recognition: The Kalakkad Mundanthurai Tiger Reserve. The Forest Rights Act not only provides tribals and forest dwellers traditional rights to land and resources but also recognizes community rights over village commons or grazing land. Padmaparna Ghosh / Mint
“It is finally an acknowledgment that what has been happening is completely illegal vis-à-vis the forest land diversions without ensuring recognition of rights or consent of thegram sabhas,” said Shankar Gopalakrishnan, secretary, Campaign for Survival and Dignity, an activist group.
The environment ministry has said the states will have to get a letter from each concerned gram sabha“indicating that all formalities/processes under the FRA have been carried out, and that they have given their consent to the proposed diversion”.
It added that the states should certify all discussions and decisions on such proposals had taken place when there was a quorum of minimum 50% of members of the gram sabhas present.
The FRA not only provides tribals and forest dwellers traditional rights to land and resources but also recognizes community rights over village commons or grazing land. Historically, tribal communities hold land as often in the collective as they do in their individual capacity.
For instance, in the controversial and high-profile case of Vedanta Alumina Ltd’s bauxite mine in the Niyamgiri hill in Orissa, tribals had claimed the hill as a community resource on the basis of their religious rights. “But at that time, it didn’t matter as the Act (FRA) wasn’t yet enacted,” said Ritwick Dutta, an environmental lawyer with Legal Initiative for Forests and Environment, a public interest law group.
At a recent conference, environment minister Jairam Ramesh had hinted that his ministry was considering strengthening the FRA. He had said that it would take into account attempts by various parties to circumvent the Act.
The move to involve gram sabhas, said Dutta, would “lead to local communities having a stake in protection of forests. Under the situation prior to the FRA, there was no provision for community consent/consultation for forest diversion and the forest department became the sole decision maker at the local level.”
Any project proposed on forest land has to obtain a mandatory forest clearance from the Union government. If the land has to be used for non-forest purposes, the proposal makes it way from the divisional forest officer (DFO) to the state conservator of forests to the state’s principal chief conservator of forests. It is then forwarded to the Union government with the opinion of the state’s forest secretary.
“Unlike the environmental clearance process, the forest clearance process has no role for public participation of grievance redressal as of now,” said Dutta.
The states with the highest proportion of forest cover—Orissa, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh—also have the biggest coal reserves in the country. According to Gopalakrishnan, the recognition of rights and resettlement of forest dwellers is yet to take place in Jharkhand, Chhattisgarh and Andhra Pradesh. And tribals in several states, including Rajasthan, Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh have protested the alleged illegal diversion of forest land.
Mint reported on 19 June that the environment ministry had announced that it would define some areas with both forest cover and coal reserves as “no-go areas”, where no mining will be allowed.
padmaparna.g@livemint.com
http://www.livemint.com/2009/08/04004234/Local-administration-to-clear.html?h=B