05-08-09

Mining – India 1
1. India to achieve uranium self-sufficiency in four-years’ 1
2. Nalco’s profits drop 2
3. NMDC offers free ore survey 3
4. Govt warns Vedanta against illegal mining in Orissa 4
5. Mining trucks will have to shell out toll 5
6. Three test positive for asbestosis 6
7. NMDC to conduct free mapping of Jharkhand's mineral reserves 7
Minning – interanational 8
8. Study will asses health impact of open cast mining 8
9. ArcelorMittal to continue mining coal in Siberia 9
10. Philippines gives green signal for coal mining in Catanduanes 10
11. The New Blood Diamonds 11
12. B. Dan Berger: Conservationists must oppose mountaintop removal 13
13. Despite profit drop, Xstrata pursues Anglo American news 15
14. U.K. Stocks Slide as Mining Shares Fall; Lloyds Banking Gains 17
15. Toledo mine output increase in the pipeline 18
16. Zimbabwe Consults Mining Industry on Changes to Laws 19
17. Century Mining CEO says firm has gotten 'stink bids' 20
Other News 20
18. Record generation from Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station 20
19. B. Dan Berger: Conservationists must oppose mountaintop removal 21
20. 'Take up NREGS works on war-footing' 22
21. CAG raps UP govt for faulty payments in NREGS 23
22. Implement Forest Rights Act: Tribals 24
23. Millennium goals meet 24
24. - UN campaign head stresses on monitoring 24

Mining – India


India to achieve uranium self-sufficiency in four-years’

Published by editorIndiaAug 5, 2009
By M Rama Rao, India Editor, Asian Tribune
New Delhi, 04 Aug (asiantribune.com): India, which has just shed the nuclear pariah status, hopes to achieve self-sufficiency in uranium and meet the demand of its N-power plants in another four years, according to Anil Kakodkar, chairman of India’s Atomic Energy Commission.
His optimism is based on output from existing and proposed uranium mines. Jasugoda mine, the mainstay so far is being expanded. Another mine at Turamdih is also slated for expansion over the next year. Other plans are exploration of uranium at Tummalapalle in Andhra Pradesh and at Gogi near Gulbarga in Karnataka. The Andhra Pradesh mine is expected to go on stream by 2013, according to Kakodkar.
Meghalaya in India’s north-east is another potential belt for uranium exploration but the plans there are facing hurdles over the years as locals are opposed to any mining activity. Atomic Energy Commission however hopes to secure clearances soon.
India plans to launch satellite to study green house gas emissions impact. Only Japan and Europe have launched such satellites so far. The environment ministry is holding talks with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and other agencies to undertake the project estimated to cost Rs. 300 crore, Parliament was told.


http://asiantribune.com/08/05/india-to-achieve-uranium-self-sufficiency-in-four-years’/
Nalco’s profits drop
;Statesman News Service
BHUBANESWAR, 4 AUG: Sluggish market conditions have impacted on the profit of Nalco, the Navratna PSU and India’s leading producer and exporter of alumina and aluminium, during the first quarter ending June 2009.
Despite increased production, the company has reportedly recorded a profit of only Rs 126.45 crore as against Rs 522 crore registered in the corresponding period last year.
The considerable drop is to the tune of almost Rs 400 crore but it has improved if one compares it to the previous quarter ending March 2009 when the profit was only Rs 83 crore, said reliable sources.
Officially, the company only revealed its production and sale figures for the quarter while keeping silent on its earnings.
Nalco has registered a 20.46 per cent increase in aluminium production to 104,776 tonnes from 86,979 tonnes in the first quarter ending 30 June. Similarly, alumina production increased to 400,800 tonnes from 392,900 tonnes in corresponding quarter last year, said a release issued by the company.
Power generation also increased by 14.35 per cent to 1,607 MU from 1,400 MU.
On the sales front, Nalco achieved a total sale of 93,104 MT of aluminium in the 1st quarter, which was 84,103 MT in the corresponding period of the previous year, it stated.
The exports have also increased from 12,623 tons to 27,995 tons of aluminium. Meanwhile, as part of a growth strategy, Nalco has plans to set up two Greenfield projects in India, which include a Rs 1,6500 crore Smelter and Power Complex at Jharsuguda in Orissa and a Rs 6,000 crore Mines and Refinery Complex in Andhra Pradesh, said the release.
http://www.thestatesman.net/page.news.php?clid=9&theme=&usrsess=1&id=263497


NMDC offers free ore survey
AMIT GUPTA
Ranchi, Aug. 4: An offer of free assessment of its iron ore reserves has come Jharkhand’s way.
Chairman-cum-managing director of National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) Rana Som has given the proposal to the state, saying that they would like to undertake the task with the help of the latest drilling technology in near future.
Welcoming the offer, state industry secretary N.N. Sinha said it was “very positive”.
Som was here to take part in a summit, “Mining — Advantage Jharkhand,” sponsored by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).
“Jharkhand has proven reserve of 2,500 million tonnes (2.5 billion tonnes) of iron ore mainly concentrated in the West Singhbhum region.
“But geological data suggests the presence of over 4,000 million tonnes of deposits. A scientific exploration will be of great use for the state and other stakeholders, who will be in a position to access a good data bank,” Som told The Telegraph.
Besides offering to undertake the exploration for free, NMDC — the largest iron ore producing corporation in the country — has made it clear that it will not claim a pie of the reserves against the task, which will be a kind of prospecting work.
In response, the industry secretary said that the state might decide in favour of entrusting the task to the corporation, as it will not involve any expenses.
Som added that through drilling, many things can be established about the exact underground layer such as what grade of iron ore the particular reserve contains, the depth and span. “There is a provision of Rs 40 crore for conducting drilling/exploration task to get scientific deposits of major minerals across the country. The fund can be utilised for Jharkhand too,” he pointed out.
Replying to another question, Som said that stopping export of iron ore from the country is not at all a wise proposition as India still consumes only around 200 million tonnes of iron ores locally. “Stopping export of iron ores till more greenfield projects come up here will be like stopping mining activities, which is a major economic exercise in mineral-rich states offering employment,” Som said.
Mines secretary Santosh Kumar Satpathy told The Telegraph that the state has about 3,770 million tonnes of proven and probable reserves and exploration of iron reserves to know the exact deposit is a costly venture. Assocham secretary-general D.S. Rawat demanded that Jharkhand should streamline its clearance procedures to speed up industrialisation.




Govt warns Vedanta against illegal mining in Orissa
Updated on Tuesday, August 04, 2009, 22:03 ISTTags:Orissa, Vedanta, Mining, Bauxite

New Delhi: Centre on Tuesday warned the Vedanta group that it can be prosecuted if it resorts to "illegal mining" of bauxite at Nyomgiri in Orissa since the Anil Agarwal-controlled firm has been given only in-principle approval.

"They have got environmental approval in-principle. They have not got full forest clearance. If mining is taking place in Nyomgiri, then it is illegal," Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh said in the Rajya Sabha.

Replying to a debate on the working of his ministry, he said the 'in principle' nod given to the group would not mean sanction for the mining operations. "They can be prosecuted," he said.

Ramesh said his ministry has now made it mandatory that all applications for mining in forest areas would require not only the forestry clearances but also an evidence that provisions of the Tribals Rights Act have been complied with.

Since the ministry was not insisting on implementation of the Tribal Act earlier, Vedanta received in principle nod.

Ramesh said he was not happy about giving 'in principle' approvals, "give me a little more time and I will get rid of this animal called in principle forest approval. It is not a good animal to have... had the Tribal Acts been in place, the chances are that this project (Vedanta) would not have been cleared in the first place".

The Vedanta group of UK-based Agarwal had announced Rs.70,000 crore India investment plans for its aluminium projects which would significantly hinge upon the Bauxite to be mined at Nyomgiri.

Bureau Report

http://www.zeenews.com/news552881.html

Mining trucks will have to shell out toll
TNN 5 August 2009, 02:48am IST
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BANGALORE: The government has decided to collect levy from mining trucks to fund the upkeep of


roads.

The cabinet, which met on Tuesday, entrusted a committee of Public Works Department officials with preparing a toll tariff plan on all types of mining trucks, including those transporting sand, stones and timber.

“We have decided to impose toll on mining trucks considering the havoc they cause on our roads,” said a senior minister who mooted the proposal before the cabinet. The toll is likely to be between Rs 500 and Rs 1,000 for a distance of 150 km. However, this will not be collected on roads where toll collection system already exists.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/bangalore/Mining-trucks-will-have-to-shell-out-toll/articleshow/4858318.cms

Three test positive for asbestosis
Anindo Dey, TNN 5 August 2009, 03:04am IST
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JAIPUR: In what should be an eye opener for the state, three mine workers from the Udaipur region have tested positive for asbestosis. The


disease, caused on a long-term heavy exposure to asbestos, affects the lungs increasing, the risk of several types of cancer.

The three victims are amongst 13 mine workers from the Netaji ka Bada village in Udaipur and have been working in asbestos mines at some point in their life. While 10 of these suffered from tuberculosis, three tested for asbestosis.

The check-up was part of an initiative taken by the Mine Labour People Campaign (MLPC), an NGO working for the welfare of mine labourers, and Occupational and Environmental Health Network of India (OEHNI).

The reading of the X-ray plates, done by Arthur L Frank, professor of Public Health, Department of Environmental and Occupational Health, Drexel University, Philadelphia says: "Having viewed X-rays ... the following were positive with regards to changes consistent with persons exposed to asbestos. The findings, in light of prior asbestos exposure, appropriate latency (present here) and no other cause should be called asbestosis."

The victims have been identified as Amar Singh (40), Homaji (46) and Rooplal (40). All the three have been working in mines for the past 10-14 years and have complaints of asthma, tuberculosis, dry cough and poor eyesight.

The X-ray readings, by Arthur L Frank, for Amar Singh suggests plural thickening on the right with possible diaphragmatic plaques while that of Homaji is of bilateral calcified plaques and that for Rooplal is calcified diaphragmatic plaquing.

"These mines workers were tested by a team of four doctors including a chest physician, a radiologist and two experts. After taking their recommendation we sent the observations to the National Institute of Occupation Hazard (NIOH) for their verdict," said Rana Sengupta of the MPLC.

At least three radiologists need to give a certification after comparing their X-ray plated with those of International Labour Organisation (ILO).

According to Sengupta, the cases should also serve as an eye-opener for the state government, on the rampant mining of asbestos in the state. "Though mining of asbestos has been banned but many such mines still exist in the unorganised sector. Moreover, many others who take licences for mining soapstone often indulge in asbestos mining," he said adding that there are over 40-50 asbestos mines in the state with each employing 100-125 workers on an average.

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http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/jaipur/Three-test-positive-for-asbestosis/articleshow/4858128.cms


NMDC to conduct free mapping of Jharkhand's mineral reserves
4 Aug 2009, 2035 hrs IST, Navtan Kumar, ET Bureau

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RANCHI: In a significant development, the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) has offered to do free mapping of mineral reserves of

Jharkhand through exploration.

The announcement was made by NMDC CMD Rana Som at a summit titled "Mining – Advantage Jharkhand", organized by Assocham here. He said there is a huge area which needs to be explored to find out the exact amount of the mineral reserves, especially iron ores.

NMDC’s gesture was well reciprocated by the state government. Jharkhand industry secretary NN Sinha was quick to respond: "The state will be grateful if NMDC carries out this exercise. This will definitely open up many opportunities." Jharkhand, it is to be noted, has 40 per cent of national mineral reserves.

Later, speaking to the ET on the sidelines of the summit, Mr Som said Jharkhand has estimated iron ore reserve of 4 billion tonne. "Out of this, Chiria mines contribute to about 2 billion tonne. Half billion tonne area has been explored. But, the remaining 1.5 billion tonne area is unexplored," he said.

Mr Som said the NMDC does not want any benefit from the state government in return. "We want to build a solid data base of the mineral reserves which can be used by mining companies. Exploration will help us establish the grade of ore, its span and the depth, which will be for the benefit of companies and the state government as well," he added.

Asked about the cost involved in the project, he said Rs 40 crore has been earmarked in our budget for the exploration and if Jharkhand agrees to our offer, this amount can be increased. He also said the cost of the project will also depend upon the region where exploration is to be carried out.

He said he has made the announcement about the offer during the summit and will also send a proposal to the state government in writing. "We are ready to undertake the job. We just want approval of the state government. We are also ready to carry out exploration anywhere in the state," he told the ET.

Jharkhand, as reported by the ET earlier, does not have an exact database on how much natural resources are there in the state, especially in the virgin areas, and their exact locations. The state government recently clamped restrictions on access to mines by the new investors as it was finding it difficult to cater to the raw material requirements of the companies which have signed MoUs in the past.



http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/News/News-By-Industry/NMDC-to-conduct-free-mapping-of-Jharkhands-mineral-reserves/articleshow/4857296.cms
Minning – interanational

Study will asses health impact of open cast mining
Aug 5 2009 by Jackie Bow, South Wales Echo
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A THREE-MONTH study will assess the potential public health impact of a proposed opencast mining scheme in the Valleys.
Merthyr Village Ltd (MV) wants to stabilise land on its site at Rhydycar West, Merthyr Tydfil, which is unsafe due to old mining-related hazards, through a £70m four-year remediation scheme.
The planning decision on the scheme is now out of the hands of Merthyr Tydfil council as MV lodged an appeal with the Welsh Assembly’s planning inspectorate.
The council failed to give a decision within the legal timescale, and a public inquiry will be held in 2010.
Last week the council agreed to tell the assembly it would have refused the opencast mining scheme.
MV must provide a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) for the inquiry on issues of air quality including dust emissions , noise and wider public health implications and has commissioned Cardiff-based Enviros Consulting Ltd.
A steering group meets for the first time today to discuss the scope and approach of the HIA. The key areas planned for the community profile are Cyfarthfa and Park wards which border the site, and Abercanaid and Upper Abercanaid in Plymouth ward are regarded as secondary areas.
Tony Chaplin, of the Merthyr Initiative Group, which is objecting to the scheme, says the geographical area of the assessment is too narrow and the three-month timescale is too short.
“The assessment should extend to the Town ward because the town centre is less than 400 metres from the site,” he said.
The steering group comprises of representatives from MV, the National Public Heath Service for Wales, the Welsh Health Impact Assessment Support Unit, Merthyr Local Health Board, Merthyr and Cynon Valley Community Health Council, the council’s public health and planning departments, the Coal Authority and Voluntary Action Merthyr Tydfil.
In a briefing report, the group has been told: “This group of experts determines the overall scope of the work to ensure that it considers the wider determinants of health as well as the key health and well being concerns expressed within local communities.”
Paul Brown, of the Merthyr Anti-Opencast Campaign, and a Cyfarthfa ward Independent councillor, says he is also concerned the assessment should be widened to include the town centre, because of prevailing winds, and Town, Penydarren and Plymouth wards.
He said: “I don’t think it would be able to win any public inquiry because the Halcrow report stated that hazards were no greater on that site than the rest of the South Wales coalfield.”

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales-news/2009/08/05/study-will-asses-health-impact-of-open-cast-mining-91466-24316914/




ArcelorMittal to continue mining coal in Siberia
Vinay Shukla

MOSCOW, Aug 5 (PTI) Transnational steel giant ArcelorMittal will continue mining coal in Siberia and will not lay off any miners.

An agreement to this effect has been reached between the company and the regional government of Russia's coal mining region of Kemerovo in Western Siberia.

According to the agreement, ArcelorMittal will invest in the modernisation of the Pervomaiskaya mines to keep it running in accordance with the local environmental and labour laws.

And the local government for its part would ensure the sale of coal produced by ArcelorMittal, ITAR-TASS news agency reported.

ArcelorMittal had planned to close the Pervomaiskaya coal complex and retire the miners.


http://www.ptinews.com/news/213216_ArcelorMittal-to-continue-mining-coal-in-Siberia


News
Wednesday, 05 Aug 2009

Philippines gives green signal for coal mining in Catanduanes
Wednesday, 05 Aug 2009
Business Mirror reported that Philippine Department of Energy has approved the mining of this island province's estimated 1.2 million tonnes of high quality coal deposits under the fourth Philippine Energy Contracting Round of 2009.

The Catanduanes coal district covers 8,000 hectares in 14 upland barangays within Panganiban, San Andres and Caramoran, all major abaca and coconut producing municipalities sitting at the heart of the 1,511.5 square kilometer island. Monte Oro Resources & Energy Inc holds a mining contract for the area awarded by the DOE under the second PECR that year.

MOREI is chaired by Mr Walter Brown, who also a chairman of Philex Mining Corporation. Mr Wilson Sy, former chairman of the Philippine Stock Exchange, is also reportedly a member of its board of directors.

The participation of MOREI in the service contract application with the DOE entitles the joint venture to the Filipino Participation Incentive Allowance that equates to 7.5% of gross proceeds from any future production.

The entire area is capable of yielding 1.2 million metric tonnes of top quality coal with high heating value. Actual mining operations, however, have yet to take place because of opposition by several sectors, including local government units and the Catholic Church.

Mr Rufino Bomansang, a Philippine energy resources expert and VC of MG Mining & Energy Corporation said in a statement that untapped coal resources in the Philippines can produce 1,000 MW to 2,000 MW of electricity in at least 25 years to provide cost effective alternatives to imported oil and coal.

Catanduanes coal is part of the vast energy source prospects in the Bicol region being eyed by the DOE for exploration. The others are in Batan Island of Rapu, Cataingan and Gubat, Bacon and Prieto Diaz in Sorsogon.

(Sourced from Business Mirror)

http://steelguru.com/news/index/2009/08/05/MTA1NzY5/Philippines_gives_green_signal_for_coal_mining_in_Catanduanes.html



The New Blood Diamonds

Being held at gunpoint by 30 drunk and angry militia in the middle of the night on a deserted road in one of the most dangerous war zones in the world was not our plan when we started out the day. But my traveling companions and I were digging into the links between the illicit mining of Congo's "conflict minerals'' and a deadly war, and we didn't expect a walk in the park. We had visited a gold mine contested by some particularly vengeful armed groups, and this militia had lost out in controlling the mine and wasn't happy about the result. After hours of negotiations, guns poked into ribs, and death threats, we emerged relatively unscathed and $1,000 poorer. Congolese civilians, however, are rarely so fortunate.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit to the Democratic Republic of the Congo next week provides the opportunity to demonstrate the importance of ending the world's most pronounced use of rape as a weapon. She will hopefully signal a greater investment in peacemaking and civilian protection by the United States. But private-sector action is equally needed. Much of the violence in eastern Congo today stems from the struggle for control of Congo's valuable mines which produce some of the minerals essential to our most common electronics devices. Therefore, a crucial ingredient for ending the conflict will be the success of a nascent consumer campaign in which American and European buyers of cell phones, laptops, and iPods begin to demand conflict-free electronics products that don't source their essential materials from mines that produce deadly conflict.
This year has seen a major spike in human rights violations in Congo, in particular violence against women and girls, the abduction and forced conscription of children as soldiers or sex slaves, the burning of houses or entire villages, and the systematic looting of the homes and livelihoods of civilians. The humanitarian crisis has deepened dramatically with half a million newly displaced since the beginning of 2009. This catastrophic cycle of violence is fueled by a scramble for one of the world's richest non-petroleum resource bases, overlaid by a Congolese government offensive backed by the United Nations -- a destructive campaign for which Secretary Clinton should urge immediate suspension.
We interviewed a number of women who had survived horrific sexual attacks during this campaign. Systematic rape has evolved over the last dozen years of war as a tool of social control or collective punishment against civilian populations deemed supportive of opposing armed groups. All the armed groups are now using rape as a component of their military operations, to terrorize, humiliate, demoralize and subjugate targeted communities.
Ironically, the international community spends well in excess of $2 billion a year treating the symptoms of the Congolese crisis (with peacekeeping and emergency assistance), but roughly one-tenth of 1 percent of what we spend on aid and peacekeepers is spent on addressing the main fuel for its continuation: conflict minerals.
Most diplomacy seems not to recognize two dark and little-acknowledged realities: that the Congolese government actually promotes insecurity to allow its top officials to enrich themselves in the illegal smuggling of Congo's natural resources, and neighboring Rwanda's and Uganda's economic growth is in part fueled by their involvement in the smuggling and violence. One mineral merchant told me he would be killed if he went on camera to talk about these issues.
Because the multinational corporations hide the direct connections between their demand for Congo's natural resources and the destruction of human life in that country, especially women and girls, we don't realize that the solution lies in part with us as electronics consumers.
The "blood diamonds'' case provides a crucial precedent. Until there was general consumer uproar about the effect Western demand for a precious commodity was having on the people of Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Angola, those conflicts continued to burn, with Western consumers providing all the fuel necessary to keep the wars going indefinitely. Electronics companies should pressure their suppliers to ensure that these minerals don't originate in mines that fuel the war and corruption, and allow independent audits to prove it.
Mining could be the engine of Congo's peaceful development. Such a result will come more quickly if companies, governments, and other stakeholders can agree on a system to trace, audit, and certify conflict-free minerals that go in our electronics products and jewelry. This would change the incentive structure away from violence and illegality toward security and rule of law in Congo. Only when it becomes more profitable to exploit the minerals legally will there be sufficient incentive for peace in Congo.


http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-prendergast/the-new-blood-diamonds_b_250692.html

August 4, 2009
B. Dan Berger: Conservationists must oppose mountaintop removal
Advertiser


As a proud life member of Trout Unlimited, I am urging our organization and all conservation-minded people to take a stronger, more aggressive stance on a destructive form of coal mining: mountaintop removal.
As many are aware, this despicable form of coal mining is where entire mountains are literally removed so seams of coal are exposed. This type of mining destroys families and communities as well as our diverse and fragile environment and coldwater fisheries.
It is a terrible process. Before any mining can begin, they clear and remove all topsoil, vegetation and trees from the mountaintop, usually polluting nearby streams, creeks and rivers. After blasting the mountaintop away with explosives, they dig out the coal and the dirt (sometimes called overburden or spoil). The spoil is then dumped into nearby valleys and hollows, burying streams and headwaters. And killing fish and their fragile habitats!
And to think, I'm not done yet. The coal is then processed by washing and treating it before being loaded on trains. The excess water from this process (called coal slurry or sludge) is stored in large impoundments or manmade lakes. The coal sludge is a cesspool of deadly chemicals, including arsenic, lead, mercury and chromium. These can cause cancer in humans and kill fish and other wildlife.
If you have traveled in the southern part of West Virginia, where much of this has occurred (and continues to occur), it is heartbreaking. It looks like the surface of the moon. Barren, stark, harsh, ugly, deserted and dead. The wildlife in the area is nonexistent.
And mountaintop removal is on the move and expanding throughout the mountains of West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia, home to many native trout waters and headwaters.
It is time for Trout Unlimited and other conservation groups to more strongly urge our state and federal officials to pass laws and promulgate rules that ban mountaintop removal for coal mining before it is too late. We must all be more vocal and active against mountaintop removal for us to be successful.
Let me be clear. My rambling is not about coal mining and the honorable hardworking men and women that go deep into the mines, nor about our country's energy needs. It is solely about the complete and utter destruction of our mountains for the greed of a few, all at the eternal expense of our fish and wildlife habitats. Eternal means forever. And forever is a very long time. As in, forever.
Berger, of Cabins, is a member of Trout Unlimited.


Despite profit drop, Xstrata pursues Anglo American news


05 August 2009

Swiss mining giant Xstrata, although reporting a decline in first-half profit yesterday, reiterated its stand that the equal merger with its larger rival Anglo American was highly compelling in order to compete with global mining giants.
Xstrata, one of the world's largest diversified mining groups and a leading producer of coking coal, nickel and zinc, said that net profit fell 77 per cent to $643 million in first-half from $2.77 billion a year earlier and revenue fell 41 per cent to $9.54 billion from $16.09 billion.
The miner said that its operating cash flows were robust at $1.6 billion, benefiting from capital conservation, cost cutting and restructuring activities. Its debt to equity ratio reduced to 28 per cent from 40 per cent at the year-end as a result of the successful $7 billion rights issue completed in March to repay a net debt of $3.7 billion.
Xstrata reduced operating costs by 1.1 per cent to save $119 million in the first half, the company said.
Chief executive officer Mick Davis said, ''The financial crisis and ensuing global economic slowdown, coupled with enormous uncertainty fundamentally changed our operating environment in a very short space of time in the latter part of 2008. As last year drew to a close, it was apparent that demand had collapsed and commodity prices were near all-time lows in real terms.''
''Xstrata is very well positioned in the current environment. Our portfolio is exposed to early-stage recovery commodities, a view supported by analysis that illustrates that demand for copper, lead and iron ore have historically shown the strongest correlation to growing industrial production, he said.
''It is very pleasing that our recent initiatives have further optimised Xstrata's competitive position, enabling our businesses to reap the maximum benefit from improving metal and coal market conditions. It seems to me that we have in this company a recipe for superior shareholder value creation and performance.''
Zug, Switzerland-based and listed on the London and Swiss stock exchanges, Xstrata once again reiterated that the $68-billion equal merger proposal with London-based Anglo American was in the best interest of both companies in order to compete with the titans in the mining industry.
Xstrata is considered as a most aggressive mining company in acquisitions, having made 16 acquisitions since 2003 under the helm of Davis. Davis was appointed by Xstrata as CEO in 2001 soon after the merger of BHP Billiton, where Davis played a key role and was considered the architect of the BHP Billiton merger in his capacity as Billiton's chief financial officer.
When he joined the company in October 2001, Xstrata was a small Swiss-listed mining company with a market capitalisation of around $500 million and largely reliant on ferro-alloys and zinc operations in South Africa and Europe.
Today, the company's market capitalisation is around $33 billion and it is the world's largest exporters export thermal coal, the largest producer of ferrochrome, the largest exporter of thermal coal, one of the top five producers of coking or metallurgical coal, the fourth largest global copper producers, the fifth largest global nickel producers and one of the world's largest miners and producers of zinc.
With the mining industry realigning itself with acquisitions, mergers and joint ventures due to global recession-like the June announcement by Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton in consolidating the mining sector by joining hands for developing Western Australia's Pilbara mines and thus creating the single biggest iron ore exporter in the world, (See: Rio-BHP team up for mining venture) Xstrata thought it fit that it should merge with Anglo American in order to compete with global mining giants.
In June, Davis wrote to the board of Anglo American to initiate talks about a possible merge as equals to become one of the world's leading mining and natural resources company. (See:Xstrata proposes $68 billion merger deal with Anglo American)
But the board of Anglo American rejected the merger proposal saying that it was 'unattractive'' and ''totally unacceptable'' since its assets were far more lucrative and long lasting than those of Xstrata's. (See: Anglo American rejects Xstrata's $68-billion deal)
Urging the shareholders of both companies to consider the merger, Davis said yesterday, ''The value proposition of putting these two companies together is highly compelling and I continue to believe that it is in the best interests of Xstrata and Anglo American shareholders to examine the potential to create the value we have identified, for the benefit of both sets of shareholders.


http://www.domain-b.com/companies/companies_x/xstrata/20090805_xstrata_oneView.html

U.K. Stocks Slide as Mining Shares Fall; Lloyds Banking Gains
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By Sarah Jones
Aug. 5 (Bloomberg) -- U.K. stocks retreated as mining shares including BHP Billiton Ltd. and Rio Tinto Group fell for a second day.
Rio Tinto, the world’s third-largest mining company, and BHP both declined more than 2 percent. Lloyds Banking Group Plc limited declines, rallying more than 5 percent after reporting earnings.
The benchmark FTSE 100 Index slid 7.86, or 0.2 percent, to 4,663.51 in London at 9:47 a.m. The FTSE All-Share Index lost 0.1 percent and Ireland’sISEQ Index added 0.3 percent in Dublin as Allied Irish Banks Plc rallied 6.1 percent.
Indexes pared some declines as U.K. manufacturing unexpectedly jumped in June by the most in about 18 months. The benchmark for U.K. equities has surged 13 percent since July 10 after companies from HSBC Holdings Plc to Roche Holding AG and Apple Inc. posted results that exceeded estimates.
Rio Tinto fell 3.1 percent to 2,491 pence as a measure of mining shares retreated for a second day from the highest in more than 10 months. BHP Billiton, the world’s biggest mining company, dropped 2.3 percent to 1576.5 pence.
Lloyds, which today posted a first-half loss of 3.1 billion pounds ($5.2 billion), said provisions for bad loans will decline “significantly.” The shares jumped 5.6 percent to 88.95 pence, the highest since May.
Allied Irish Banks advanced 6.1 percent to 1.82 euros in Dublin trading. Ireland’s second-biggest lender by market value reported a pretax first-half loss of 872 million euros ($1.26 billion). That beat the 925-million euros median estimate of three analysts surveyed by Bloomberg.
-- Editors: Jason Carey.

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601102&sid=auqkXmjm9Eac


Toledo mine output increase in the pipeline
By Riza T. Olchondra
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 21:09:00 08/04/2009

Filed Under: Mining and quarrying, Company Information
A SUBSIDIARY OF PUBLICLY LISTED Atlas Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. bared plans to increase production at the Toledo mine in Cebu, as it reported its latest shipment of copper concentrates to China.
The company’s assistant corporate secretary, Carmen Rose A. Basallo-Estampador, said in a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange that Carmen Copper Corp. (CCC) would be processing 35,000 tons of ore per day (tpd) from the current 20,000 tpd.
The increase in output will be supported by additional power and nine newly acquired trucks to transport ores from the open pit mine.
Full milling capacity of at least 42,000 tons per day of ore is expected by mid-2010. By the second quarter of 2011, output will increase to about 50,000 tpd.
CCC has shipped 37,832.26 wet metric tons (wmt) of copper concentrates since December 2008.
The operator of the Toledo mine loaded its latest shipment on July 27 at Sangi port. The load contained 5,237.5 wmt of copper concentrates.
The concentrates had an estimated grade of 27.83 percent copper, 2.75 grams per ton gold and 22.67 grams per ton silver.
“Two further shipments, each containing approximately 5,500 wmt of concentrate, are expected to be loaded during the month of August,” Estampador said.
The first 60,000 metric tons of copper concentrates from Toledo are all headed for China under a 2008 offtake agreement between CCC and Swiss company MRI Trading AG.
The first 30,000 metric tons was priced at an average of $7,612.50 per metric ton of contained copper. The rest are priced according to prevailing market prices at the time of sale.
CCC has exclusive operating rights over on site mineral resources and ore reserves of Carmen, Lutopan and Biga, collectively known as Toledo Copper Mines.
Atlas owns 65.53 percent of CCC and the rest is owned by the Crescent Asian Special Opportunities Portfolio.

http://business.inquirer.net/money/topstories/view/20090804-218757/Toledo-mine-output-increase-in-the-pipeline

Zimbabwe Consults Mining Industry on Changes to Laws

(Update1)
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By Carli Lourens and Brian Latham
Aug. 5 (Bloomberg) -- Zimbabwe is consulting the mining industry on legal changes that would encourage companies to start exploiting the country’s mineral deposits, said Minister of Mines and Mining Development Obert Mpofu.
The new laws would be based on the principal of “use it or lose it” for mineral deposits, Mpofu told a conference in Johannesburg today.
New mining laws would be pushed through parliament quickly to help revive growth in an economy that has contracted for the past decade. Gross domestic product shrank 14.1 percent last year alone.
“We’re going to interact with the business people,” Mpofu said. “Things in Zimbabwe are moving at a speed which people won’t believe. The country’s future in mining is bright.”
A previous mining bill, which wasn’t signed into law, sought to seize 51 percent of all mine ownership for black Zimbabweans and the government. New proposals on changes to the laws will be submitted to the current sitting of parliament, Mpofu said.
Growth in the mining industry is being hampered by poor electricity supplies which are meeting only about 60 percent of miners’ needs, according to Victor Gapare, president of Zimbabwe’s Chamber of Mines, which represents most medium and large-scale miners in the country.
Zesa Holdings, Zimbabwe’s state-owned power utility, is seeking $900 million to rehabilitate power generation and supplies, today’s state-controlled Herald said on its Web site. The Herald didn’t say where it got the information.
Speaking at the Johannesburg conference, Gapare said Zimbabwe’s gold production slumped to 3.5 metric tons last year, from 27 tons in 1999.
“Platinum production is likely to reach 1 million ounces a year in the next 15 years from 170,000 ounces a year now,” Gapare added.
To contact the reporter on this story: Carli Lourens in Johannesburg atclourens@bloomberg.net

http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601116&sid=a.BxnPllbDLM


Century Mining CEO says firm has gotten 'stink bids'

•
CPLast updated on Wednesday, Aug. 05, 2009 04:04AM EDT
Century Mining Corp. chief executive officer Margaret Kent said yesterday that the gold mine developer has received approaches from potential buyers but characterized the proposals as "stink bids" that aren't in shareholders' interest. Ms. Kent made the remark in a lengthy and sometimes combative exchange with a shareholder on a Century Mining conference call. At one point Ms. Kent was asked if she would resign if Century Mining shares don't rise above the current level in the next four months. She declined to make such a promise and told the caller he was welcome to sell his shares at any time. Ms. Kent, who is herself a major shareholder in the company, said Century is on the verge of a breakthrough with its restart of the Lamaque gold mine in Quebec now that new financing has been lined up. CMM (Venture) closed at 15 cents, down 0.5 cents.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/century-mining-ceo-says-firm-has-gotten-stink-bids/article1241589/
Other News
Record generation from Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station
________________________________________
12:38 IST
The country’s largest 1500 MW Nathpa Jhakri Hydro Power Station (NJHPS) of public sector Satluj Jal Vidyut Nigam Limited has achieved yet another milestone by generating a record 1144 against the target of 1009 million units of electricity during July, 2009 and surpassed the previous best of 1091 million units achieved during July, 2008.

The Power Station is generating 36.9 million units of electricity daily.

The cumulative generation of NJHPS up to 31st July 2009 during the current financial year is 3299 million units against the target of 3218 million units. This has been achieved at a time when country at a large is facing acute power shortage due to weak monsoon and less availability of water in the rivers.

The Plant availability factory (PAF) achieved by NJHPS during the month of July 2009 is 105.26% and cumulative plant availability factory for the station achieved is now 102.88%. This is the highest PAF achieved by the Central Sector Hydro Power Station operating in Northern Grid.

According to Shri R.P. Singh, Director (Electrical), SJVNL, this record generation has been achieved because of excellent management of silt, water and machines both in terms of operation and maintenance of NJHPS.

On account of the record generation during the month, all the beneficiary states of Northern India viz Delhi, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, UP, Uttrakhand, Chandigarh, J&K and Himachal Pradesh were benefited immensely. Himachal Pradesh, as an equity partner, gets 25% of the electricity generated at bus bar rates, and another 12% free of cost.

PRA



http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=51533

B. Dan Berger: Conservationists must oppose mountaintop removal
Advertiser

As a proud life member of Trout Unlimited, I am urging our organization and all conservation-minded people to take a stronger, more aggressive stance on a destructive form of coal mining: mountaintop removal.
As many are aware, this despicable form of coal mining is where entire mountains are literally removed so seams of coal are exposed. This type of mining destroys families and communities as well as our diverse and fragile environment and coldwater fisheries.
It is a terrible process. Before any mining can begin, they clear and remove all topsoil, vegetation and trees from the mountaintop, usually polluting nearby streams, creeks and rivers. After blasting the mountaintop away with explosives, they dig out the coal and the dirt (sometimes called overburden or spoil). The spoil is then dumped into nearby valleys and hollows, burying streams and headwaters. And killing fish and their fragile habitats!
And to think, I'm not done yet. The coal is then processed by washing and treating it before being loaded on trains. The excess water from this process (called coal slurry or sludge) is stored in large impoundments or manmade lakes. The coal sludge is a cesspool of deadly chemicals, including arsenic, lead, mercury and chromium. These can cause cancer in humans and kill fish and other wildlife.
If you have traveled in the southern part of West Virginia, where much of this has occurred (and continues to occur), it is heartbreaking. It looks like the surface of the moon. Barren, stark, harsh, ugly, deserted and dead. The wildlife in the area is nonexistent.
And mountaintop removal is on the move and expanding throughout the mountains of West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and Virginia, home to many native trout waters and headwaters.
It is time for Trout Unlimited and other conservation groups to more strongly urge our state and federal officials to pass laws and promulgate rules that ban mountaintop removal for coal mining before it is too late. We must all be more vocal and active against mountaintop removal for us to be successful.
Let me be clear. My rambling is not about coal mining and the honorable hardworking men and women that go deep into the mines, nor about our country's energy needs. It is solely about the complete and utter destruction of our mountains for the greed of a few, all at the eternal expense of our fish and wildlife habitats. Eternal means forever. And forever is a very long time. As in, forever.
Berger, of Cabins, is a member of Trout Unlimited.
http://wvgazette.com/Opinion/OpEdCommentaries/200908040535

'Take up NREGS works on war-footing'
TNN 5 August 2009, 02:21am IST
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HYDERABAD: Faced with drought-like conditions, the state government on Tuesday ordered the district officials to take up works under the National


Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (NREGS) on a war-footing.

At a review meeting with officials on NREGS, rural development minister Vatti Vasant Kumar asked the collectors to step up works to provide employment to the rural people and also identify more works.

The minister said funds are not a problem and urged the officials to speed up the works. "if the adverse seasonal conditions continue for some more weeks, there will be drought-like situation," he warned the officials.

He said the collectors should immediately appoint special officers in each revenue division to monitor the implementation of NREGS works.


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/hyderabad/Take-up-NREGS-works-on-war-footing/articleshow/4857913.cms


CAG raps UP govt for faulty payments in NREGS
Updated on Tuesday, August 04, 2009, 23:54 ISTTags:NREGS, CAG raps UP govt, faulty payments

Lucknow: Finding fault in the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme by the Uttar Pradesh dispensation, the government auditor has said that suspicious payments were made under the scheme with money given twice to 194 people having the same name.

The Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) said the UP government failed to provide necessary administrative and technical manpower to implement the scheme.

The report submitted in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative assembly states that the performance audit of the scheme which was implemented in the state from February 8, 2007 in 39 districts revealed that requisite level of inspections were not conducted by the district and block level officers.

It was found that full time officials dedicated to the scheme were not appointed and block development officers were made scheme officers.

Since the BDOs at the block level also had the burden of other schemes, the additional pressure of NREGS had an adverse impact of the implementation of the Central schemes (NREGS), the CAG report said.

The report said that one 'Rozgar sewak' each had to be appointed at every 'gram panchayat' level but it has been found that almost 32 per cent 'rozgar sewaks' had not been appointed in the total 2,230 gram panchayats and the technical norms were implemented in only 68 per cent them, causing delay in payments to beneficiaries.

Bureau Report


http://www.zeenews.com/news552916.html

Implement Forest Rights Act: Tribals

TNN 4 August 2009, 10:57pm IST
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VADODARA: Tribal residents of northern parts of Vadodara district participated in a protest programme on Tuesday at Chhotaudepur to demand proper


implementation of Forest Rights Act. The programme was part of the state-wide agitation by tribals, various NGOs and rights groups.

The tribals had assembled in large numbers at Chhotaudepur for the rally that included cultural programmes. Later, they submitted a memorandum to the sub-divisional magistrate at Chhotaudepur.

Activists spearheading the agitation claimed that as many as 6,000 persons took part in the programme. "The programme has been a major success. The officials also heard out the representatives in detail and promised to resolve the issue," said Rajesh Mishra, an activist.

On Monday, similar programmes were held at Rajpipla, Dharampur, Ahwa and other places in the tribal heartland of the state. The programmes will continue till August 10. Activists said the future course of action would be decided keeping in mind the approach of the government


http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/news/city/vadodara/Implement-Forest-Rights-Act-Tribals/articleshow/4857622.cms

Millennium goals meet
- UN campaign head stresses on monitoring
OUR CORRESPONDENT


Disparity discussion: A beggar seeks alms in Puri with his head buried. (PTI)
Bhubaneswar, Aug. 4: The key to faster progress on the achievement of Millennium Development Goals (MDG) is to tap the energy of youths and monitor the implementation of welfare programmes and schemes at the ground level, said the director of UN Millennium Campaign, Salil Shetty.
In 2000, 189 countries fixed a set of eight goals and set a target of 15 years to achieve them (2015). The goals were to eradicate extreme poverty and hunger, achieve universal primary education, promote gender equality and empower women, reduce child mortality, improve maternal health, combat HIV/AIDS and malaria, ensure environmental sustainability and develop a global partnership toward development.
In an interaction on the MDG held with a group of organisations today, Shetty said the goals could be achieved by proper use of technology and the Right to Information Act.
Shetty, who was here to encourage the state and its people to work in tandem to achieve MDG goals by 2015, discussed the status of the goals and bottlenecks on path to improvement, with members of international and national NGOs, youth organisations, educational and research institutes.
Correlating poverty with inequality, Shetty expressed concern over the growing disparity between nations and sections of people, which he called a recipe for conflict.
Common people’s access to justice is a core issue, he said, and cautioned that the euphoria over India’s growth in the economic, information and technology sectors was understandable but people needed to remember that 400-500 million people go hungry in the country.
He spoke of three basic requirements of any issue — policy, resources and implementation — and emphasised on the need for “good politics” that endorses accountability of political parties.
Other participants drew the director’s attention to the potential of legislation such as NREGA, Forest Rights Act and Right to Information Act.
The state information commissioner, Jagadananda, urged community service organisations to sustain efforts of civil society organisations to achieve MDG goals. The congregation expressed its disappointment toward the lack of political commitment on the part of the government toward the implementation of NREGA that has potential to alleviate poverty and check distressed migration.
On the other hand, it applauded the government on its achievement on Forest Rights Act.

http://www.telegraphindia.com/1090805/jsp/nation/story_11320366.jsp