16-12-09

Mining – India

1. Vedanta seeks Orissa's help to restrict intl NGOs movement
2. HC reprieve to Reddy brothers, setback for AP
3. Open cast mining
4. Vedanta braces for fresh trouble at proposed Orissa bauxite mining site
5. 246 applications for new mines pending in Goa
6. NTPC appoints consultant for mine buy
7. Chhattisgarh to start diamond mining in three years: Chief Minister
8. Coal India may develop mines with other firms - chairman

Mining – International

9. 25 Mindoreños run naked to protest mining
10. Black Lung on Rise in Mines, Reversing Trend
11. Safety Officials Blame Resurgence on Longer Shifts, Handling of Dust; Industry Working on Developing Better Technology, Practices
12. Violence predicted amid growing protests over Canadian mines in Mexico
13. New Gold Rises in Toronto After Mexican Mine Ruling (Update1)
14. Mining company surrenders claim to native land in $5-million settlement, opening Ontario's far north

Other News

15. Devolvement of powers to Panchayats
16. Proactive steps to eliminate child labour
17. Mining rights of different minerals in the country

Mining – India

Vedanta seeks Orissa's help to restrict intl NGOs movement

Press Trust of India / New Delhi December 15, 2009, 16:17 IST

Vedanta Group has asked Orissa government to restrict entry of foreign NGOs in the area where it proposes to mine bauxite, as part of its $8-billion project in the state, saying they were instigating locals.
"These NGOs comprising Survival International and Action Aid are instigating locals to go to the hill top, where we have proposed to mine bauxite, and set up houses.
Orissa government has already said there is no tribal population in our proposed mining site. Such efforts by these NGOs are aimed at harming the project and investments in the state at large, their movement has to be regulated," Vedanta Aluminium COO Mukesh Kumar told PTI.
Vedanta Aluminium, subsidiary of Vedanta Resources, has already written to the state's Home Ministry seeking restrictions on movement of such foreign nationals, besides investigation into their source of funding, he said.
When contacted Survival International's spokesperson said, "Survival International does not oppose industrial development. But where, as in this case, industrial projects take place on the land of indigenous people, they have a right to be consulted at the very least. Vedanta has not bothered to do this."
On the contrary, the NGO said, the metal company has "launched an unprecedented attack on Survival International, apparently to drive its researchers out of an area where the company is planning to mine."
However, Kumar added, "They (foreign NGOs) are enemy of industrial development in the state. If such NGOs and foreign nationals have come on tourist visas, why are they camping in jungles of Kalahandi, Rayagada. They should go to places like Puri. If they do not abide by rules, they should be sent back," he added.
Kumar said the influx of foreigners has gained momentum after Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh instituted a probe into the allegations of illegal bauxite mining by the firm in joint venture with Orissa Mining Corporation at Niyamgiri.
When contacted, Action Aid Orissa Head Dhandari Jaina said, "We are working for the cause of the most marginalised population. Everyone knows what we do and what we are doing."
Vedanta has got an "in-principle" approval from the state government to start mining at the proposed site. It is awaiting clearance from the Union Environment Ministry.
Orissa Steel and Mines Minister Raghunath Mohanty had said that "not a single family of Dangaria Kandha tribe lived at the proposed mining area, located between Rayagada and Kalahandi districts" and there would be no displacement.
But, the proposed mining project has reportedly been facing protest from locals and foreign NGOs over allegation of tribal displacement contrary to Mohanty's assertion.
The green bench of the Supreme Court had last year given its approval to the project. Vedanta Resources has planned an investment of $8 billion (around Rs 37,000 crore) in the state across its projects in the power and aluminium sector.

http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/vedanta-seeks-orissa\s-help-to-restrict-intl-ngos-movement/80869/on

HC reprieve to Reddy brothers, setback for AP

15 Dec 2009, 0524 hrs IST, ET Bureau

HYDERABAD: The Andhra Pradesh government suffered yet another setback in its attempt to curb the Reddy brothers of Bellary after the AP high

court put on hold a probe by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) into the alleged illegal mining along the state’s border with Karnataka.

The CBI investigation, which was requested by the state, has been stayed for six weeks, providing a reprieve to the embattled Reddy brothers and the Obulapuram Mining Company (OMC) which they run. On Friday, the same court put on hold a November 25 decision by the government to suspend iron ore mining operations in the Anantapur area.

Government officials said Andhra plans to appeal against both orders in the Supreme Court. The Congress government is in the throes of a crisis triggered by the agitation for a separate state Telangana. A top bureaucrat remarked the Telangana agitation is a deliberate ploy to try and divert attention from illegal mining.

“It is unfortunate that the judiciary and the legislature have differences in this case. It shows inefficiency on the part of the government,” said TDP leader Revanth Reddy.


http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics/nation/HC-reprieve-to-Reddy-brothers-setback-for-AP/articleshow/5338384.cms

Open cast mining

15:37 IST
LOK SABHA

The Minister of Mines and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region Shri B.K. Handique has said that as per available information, majority of mineral raising in India is carried out by open cast mining. Open cast mining is a method of mining in which excavation or cut is made at the surface of ground for purpose of extracting ore and which is open to the surface for the duration of mine’s life.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today, Shri B.K. Handique said that some instances of opposition by local people to mining has come to the notice of Government, which includes Andhra Pradesh also. The local people have mainly opposed mining on the grounds of damage to environment and infrastructure and displacement of local population. The Central Government has enunciated National Mineral Policy 2008, which seeks to develop a sustainable framework for optimum utilization of the country’s natural mineral resources for the industrial growth in the country and at the same time improving the life of people living in the mining areas, which are generally located in the backward and tribal regions of the country.

*****

NSK/AK
http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=55918

Vedanta braces for fresh trouble at proposed Orissa bauxite mining site

15 Dec 2009, 0214 hrs IST, Rakhi Mazumdar, ET Bureau


KOLKATA: Anil Agarwal’s Vedanta Aluminium (VAL) is bracing for fresh trouble at its proposed bauxite mining site in Orissa, even as local

authorities gave a report to the Naveen Patnaik government stating that the company had not violated any government guidelines.

Significantly, Vedanta’s proposed bauxite mining operation is critically linked to VAL’s Rs 11,000-crore aluminium project in the state. While it has already commissioned its alumina refinery at Lanjingarh, the company has been unable to start work at Niyamgiri, the chosen site of its captive bauxite mining operations. For the moment, VAL has approvals to mine up to 3 million tonne of ore per annum for its project.

Vedanta’s fears stem from the fact that it is yet to even kick off in the Niyamgiri hills, even a year after it received the go-ahead from the Supreme Court in August 2008. In a letter to the police superintendents of Rayagada and Kalahandi last week, Vedanta COO-Lanjigarh Mukesh Kumar, said: “We are seeing increased movement of foreigners from various countries in the area. We also came to know that several confrontations have taken place in various villages between tribals and foreigners, and we apprehend that this may lead to some serious law and order situations.”

The Vedanta official’s letter added: “We request your immediate action in this regard, so that outsiders do not get a chance to instigate local tribals against the government of Orissa or the project.”

http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/news-by-industry/indl-goods-/-svs/metals-mining/Vedanta-braces-for-fresh-trouble-at-proposed-Orissa-bauxite-mining-site/articleshow/5338205.cms

246 applications for new mines pending in Goa

2009-12-15 13:20:00

While Goa Chief Minister Digambar Kamat says there 'is no question' of allowing new mining leases in the state, official documents submitted in the assembly Tuesday show there are 246 applications for new leases.
In a written reply, Kamat, who also holds the mining portfolio, said 246 applications have been received for 'prospecting of major minerals in the state during the last two years'.
Goa's hinterland has seen a string of agitations against illegal mining and granting of new mining leases.
In another written reply, the mines and geology department stated Goa exported nearly 30 million tonnes of iron ore in 2008-09.
Top exporters include two Vedanta-owned companies -- Sesa Goa, which accounted for 10 million tonnes, and Dempo, despatching 4.3 million tonnes.
The government also said nearly Rs.27 crore was earned as royalty from the 107 legally operational mines in the state.
Leader of Opposition Manohar Parrikar, who belongs to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), has alleged in the assembly that one-fifth of the ore exported from Goa annually was illegally extracted.
'The illegal mining industry in Goa is worth Rs.700 crore and is 18 percent of the total extraction,' said Parrikar, also a former chief minister.




http://sify.com/news/246-applications-for-new-mines-pending-in-Goa-news-National-jmpnudcbief.html


NTPC appoints consultant for mine buy

Neeraj Thakur / DNA
Tuesday, December 15, 2009 2:01 IST
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New Delhi: NTPC, the largest power generator in the country, has appointed a new consultant for acquisition of a coal mine it has identified in Indonesia.

The state-owned company had earlier hired Australia's Macquarie Bank to do the due diligence for another mine in the same country.
"We are working fast on our acquisition plans and will announce the name of the consultant as well as the mine very soon. Right now, I cannot announce the name due to confidentiality of the issue," R S Sharma, chairman and managing director, NTPC said.
NTPC is facing an acute shortage of coal at its projects across the country.
The power producer has a total coal requirement of 125 million tonnes per annum (mtpa) and had planned to meet demand by importing over 12 mt this fiscal. However, it is likely to get only around 6 mt coal this fiscal.
NTPC has a total capacity of 30,644 mw, of which more than a quarter is coal-based.
Procedural and infrastructure delays have already upset its captive coal mining plans.
NTPC has already announced plans to acquire coal mines in Mozambique and South Africa. The company had earlier tried to buy stake in coal mines in Australia, too.
The PSU will begin operations at its first coal mine, Pakri Barwadih, in Jharkhand by March 2011.

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report_ntpc-appoints-consultant-for-mine-buy_1323811

Chhattisgarh to start diamond mining in three years: Chief Minister

Tags: By Sujeet Kumar Raipur
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(Source: IANS)
Published: Tue, 15 Dec 2009 at 11:51 IST
By Sujeet Kumar
Raipur: Mineral-rich Chhattisgarh is expected to start mining for diamonds in two-three years with a host of domestic and global players having prospected for this precious allotrope of carbon in seven districts, Chief Minister Raman Singh has said.



"Prospecting by certain companies for diamond exploration is in an advanced stage. These companies are now closing in on areas where sufficient evidence of diamond reserves has been found," Singh told IANS in an interview.


"The state will start mining diamonds in two-three years."


Some dozen domestic and global companies, including the London- and Melbourne-based Rio Tinto and Jindal Steel and Power, are already engaged in diamond prospecting in seven districts of the state, mining department sources said.


Chhattisgarh has rich deposits of 28 minerals, including diamonds.


The state government had awarded a prospecting licence to a company named B. Vijaykumar Chhattisgarh Exploration in 2000 for the area that lies close to the Orissa border, the sources said.


But the licence was cancelled in early 2001 even though the company had confirmed that the site had rich stocks of high-quality diamonds.


The chief minister also said that steps were being taken to ensure that there were no illegal mining activities at Pailikhand, another confirmed diamond-rich site in the state's Raipur district.


"A police outpost will be set up soon with about 25-30 policemen to guard the reserves."


Since mid-July, hundreds of people were rushing daily to a fenced portion of Pailikhand village, 150 km from here, to sieve the soil for the precious stones, after the police deployed at the site were withdrawn.


The government reportedly could not provide housing and other basic facilities to them.

http://www.samaylive.com/news/chhattisgarh-to-start-diamond-mining-in-three-years-chief-minister/670651.html

Coal India may develop mines with other firms - chairman

Published on Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 17:04 | Updated at Mon, Dec 14, 2009 at 17:23 | Source : Reuters

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State-owned Coal India Ltd (CIL), will not allot neglected coking coal blocks to other companies, but is open to work jointly with them to develop these blocks, a top official told reporters.
"These blocks are owned by CIL. We will not hand over any blocks to any company. We are open to working with them jointly under some arrangements," Chairman Partha. S. Bhattacharyya said on Monday.
On Saturday, the Financial Express newspaper reported Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL) and Tata Steel had asked the government to allocate CIL's neglected coking coal blocks to them for exploration.

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"We have identified a coking coal block with a reserve of 7 million tones, under the command area of Bharat Coking Coal Ltd (BCCL), which would be developed jointly by Coal India and Tata Steel," Bhattacharya said on the sidelines of an industry body meet.
Coal India is also in talks with SAIL for developing another 7-8 blocks, he added.
The coal miner has shortlisted 12 companies to form partnerships for importing coal and developing mining properties abroad, Bhattacharyya said.
"We will start the final selection today, and the entire process is expected to be over by March 2010," he said.
CIL's production in the current financial year is expected to touch 435 million tonnes from 403.73 million tonnes last year, he added.
Coal India, which plans an initial public offering next fiscal, plans to invest up to 30 billion rupees for equity stakes in domestic as well as international mine projects, he said.

http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/economy/coal-india-may-develop-minesother-firms-chairman_430731.html

Mining – International

25 Mindoreños run naked to protest mining

INQUIRER.net
First Posted 18:40:00 12/15/2009

Filed Under: Protest, Mining and quarrying, Environmental Issues
MANILA, Philippines— Chanting “No to Mindoro mining,” 25 fratmen ran through downtown Calapan City Tuesday in their birthday suit, a local news site reported.
The 25 members of the Alpha Phi Omega Calapan sprinted naked as the fraternity’s “simple way” of protesting large-scale mineral exploitation on Mindoro island, The Mindoro Post wrote, quoting Mario Ramos, APO grand chancellor of the Divine Word College of Calapan chapter.
“We do not have enough resources to fight big miningcompanies like Intex Resources. But in this simple way, we know that we can urge others to join the call to stop mining in their own way,” Ramos said of the 30-minute run.
He said the 25 “Oblation runners” symbolized the 25-year ban on large-scale mining in Mindoro.
APO Calapan president Boy Ricaflanca said the fraternity’s traditional “Oblation Run” was also carried out with the same theme in at least two other towns in Oriental Mindoro.
“There are other associations of APO in other municipalities like Victoria and Roxas that conducted ‘Oblation Run’,” Ricaflanca said on The Mindoro Post.
“This is our support for the Mindoreños’ call to stop Mindoro Nickel Project and the newly-approved Agusan Mining where four municipalities are covered,” he said.
At least three big mining firms have been given clearances by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) to conduct mineral explorations on the island.
Norway-based Intex Resources is fighting a DENR order temporarily revoking its environmental compliance certificate to mine an area of 11,216.6 hectares in the towns of Victoria, Pola and Socorro in Oriental Mindoro and Sablayan in Occidental Mindoro.
The DENR also allowed Pitkin Ltd to conduct oil exploration in portions of the towns of Sablayan, Calintaan, Rizal, San Jose and Magsaysay in Occidental Mindoro and in Bulalacao in Oriental Mindoro.
Agusan Petroleum meanwhile has exploration permit in Abra de Ilog in Occidental Mindoro and in the resorttown of Puerto Galera and nearby San Teodoro in Oriental Mindoro.
The local governments of Mindoro, together with members of the Catholic church and civil society groups, have declared the mining activities as illegal, citing the large-scale mining prohibitions of Mindoro.
On Saturday, an ordinance ordering a 25-year mining moratorium came into force in Occidental Mindoro. A similar ban has been in effect in Oriental Mindoro since 2002.
On November 27, Environment Secretary Lito Atienza ordered a temporary revocation of the mining clearance issued for Intex’s Mindoro Nickel Project following an 11-day hunger strike staged by Mangyans, community leaders and church people from Mindoro.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/breakingnews/regions/view/20091215-242173/25-Mindoreos-run-naked-to-protest-mining

Black Lung on Rise in Mines, Reversing Trend

Safety Officials Blame Resurgence on Longer Shifts, Handling of Dust; Industry Working on Developing Better Technology, Practices
•
Landov
Black lung accounts for more miner deaths than do accidents. Here, Jay Gowdy operates a shearer along a coal face in April 2008 in Greene County, Pa.
WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Rates of black-lung disease are growing, most notably among younger miners, reversing decades of progress and prompting more federal scrutiny and calls to lower exposure to coal dust.
The increase, which federal mine safety officials attributed in part to longer work shifts and companies' uneven dust-mitigation practices, could put a further strain on the industry-financed trust fund set up to compensate disabled miners and their families.
Black lung, the common name for coal worker's pneumoconiosis, is caused by inhaling coal dust over a prolonged period. This can lead to fibrosis, destruction of lung tissue and greater risk of emphysema, chronic bronchitis and tuberculosis.
The Black Lung Disability Trust, funded by a tax on coal companies, has paid out about $44 billion in benefits over the past 40 years to miners totally disabled by black lung or to their widows. The fund had a deficit of $10 billion in 2007, before a law was passed to eliminate the debt by issuing bonds. A Labor Department spokesman said the plan to work down the debt is on track and $343 million in bond obligations was retired in September.
The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health has found that roughly 9% of workers with 25 years or more in mines tested positive for black lung in 2005-2006, the latest published data, up from about 4% in the late 1990s. The rates also doubled for people with 20 to 24 years in mining, including many in their 30s and 40s, according to NIOSH, part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Black lung accounts for more deaths than do mine accidents, including explosions and cave-ins. More than 10,000 miners have died from the disease during the past decade, compared with fewer than 400 from mine accidents.
"It is time to end black lung," said Joe Main, assistant secretary of labor in charge of the Mine Safety and Health Administration, as he addressed more than 200 miners gathered last week at a Ramada Inn here. MSHA, which is part of the Labor Department and enforces federal mining law, will consider proposing regulations to cut in half the permissible levels of coal dust in mines and to require miners to wear dust monitors throughout their shifts.

Today dust levels are measured periodically at mines and then only for eight hours at a time to comply with federal law. MSHA is working on introducing a new type of monitor that could be worn by every miner and provide continuous feedback on dust levels so miners could leave an area if they have reached their daily exposure limit.
Some miners worry that more-productive mining machinery may be churning up more dust. "Back in the old days those guys suffered through a lot, but we're generating a lot of coal and there's a lot of dust in the air," said 29-year-old Chuck Knisell, who works at a mine in Waynesburg, Pa.
The National Mining Association, an industry trade group, said that while it wasn't challenging the general trend of disease rates, it hasn't seen detailed data that would indicate what jobs were done by miners screened by NIOSH, or what mines were represented in the data.
Luke Popovich, a spokesman for the association, said the industry is working closely with MSHA and NIOSH to develop better dust-monitoring technology and practices. He declined to comment on whether longer shifts or uneven dust mitigation practices could be leading to an increase in the incidence of black lung among miners. The association declined to comment on new regulations to reduce coal-dust limits until details were announced.
A federal effort to eliminate black lung was launched in 1969 with the passage of the federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act, which set coal-dust standards for mines and provided compensation for those affected. The battle was thought to be largely won through practices such as spraying water at the mine face, as well as the dwindling number of miners working in underground mines.
Safety officials believe the increase could also reflect longer workshifts in recent years when production was high and miners were in short supply, increasing dust exposure. They also note that much of the easily accessible underground coal has been mined, and companies are increasingly dependent on thinner coal seams. This requires cutting through rock, which creates more dust.
Preston Butt, 79, developed black lung after working 34 years in an underground mine. Speaking in a croaky voice at the miner's meeting, he said it was only after about 30 years that his co-workers noticed he was breathing harder. He now sleeps hooked up to a tank of oxygen and can't garden or hunt. "Coal mining did provide me a pretty good life financially, but now I can't do anything."
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB126083871040391327.html

The Canadian Press - ONLINE EDITION

Violence predicted amid growing protests over Canadian mines in Mexico

By: Romina Maurino, THE CANADIAN PRESS
14/12/2009 6:12 PM | Comments: 0

TORONTO - The death of a Mexican activist who strongly opposed the presence of a Canadian company in his hometown is predicted to spur violent protests this week, with supporters already furious over his slaying suggesting a weekend clash at another Canadian-owned mine is a sign of things to come.
"This is only the beginning; people are very angry," said Gustavo Castro, with the group Otros Mundos in San Cristobal de Las Casas.
"There are all kinds of human rights violations, people's livelihoods have been threatened, residents are being threatened and mistreated, beaten or bullied."
"If there are more deaths there will be more deaths, but these companies are leaving."
Activist Mariano Abarca Roblero, a 51-year-old community leader who had been campaigning against a barite mine operated by a subsidiary of Calgary-based Blackfire Exploration, was gunned down in front of his home in southern Chiapas last month.
The three men arrested in Abarca Roblero's death have ties to Blackfire, a corporation his supporters blame for his death.
The company denies any connection to the killing. It also says the company is run ethically and to Canadian standards and follows all the environmental guidelines.
Local anti-mining groups and Abarca Roblero supporters have vowed to continue their opposition despite the loss of their leader, and plan a rally Friday, with a second one scheduled a few days later.
Organizers believe there will be more violence and Castro says he expects more as many as 5,000 to take part.
"The Frente Amplio Opositor, or FAO, and those who have worked with Mariano have all received threats," said Castro.
"It's not a safe place, people always turn up dead, and this is yet another excuse."
The anti-mining group says community members received death threats Friday while protesting in the Mexican village of Cerro de San Pedro, where Vancouver's New Gold Inc. owns an open-pit gold and silver mine operated by its Mexican subsidiary, Minera San Xavier or MSX.
"FAO members Ernest Garcia, Ivette Lacaba and James Del Tedesco were all hit and injured, while both Garcia and Del Tedesco were robbed of their cameras," the group alleged in a statement.
"Several of the people attacked were elderly."
The group alleges federal parliamentarians were stoned in their vehicles by mine employees as they attempted to visit the village the following day, while the Mendoza Pence family, who have spearheaded the village's anti-mine campaign for over a decade, have been receiving death threats.
Castro said members of the anti-mining group were attacked by a group of about 100 mine supporters that included workers and company executives.
"Workers and executives beat and stoned the protesters, including women," said Castro.
"It's the same kind of thing that's happening here - the death threats start and then the violence escalates."
But new Gold CEO Robert Gallagher said he hadn't received any "concrete" evidence of stoning or other violence near the mine, adding the company in no way condoned aggression and has always instructed its local workers to stay away from protests or demonstrations.
"They did not meet a group of our employers; they met a group of villagers and now obviously as MSX is the largest employer in the area I'm sure some of those villagers were MSX employees but they certainly weren't there on behalf of MSX," Gallagher said in an interview from Vancouver.
"We've gone to great extent to counsel and instruct our employees not to get involved in any kind of demonstration or any kind of outreach that could lead to any sort of violence."
Gallagher added that the reports he's received from Friday's incident are "mixed," and said that while there was "heated debate and discussion," he's unaware of any kind of violence.
"Obviously what the people up there feel is that (this) is their livelihood and how they're going to feed their families so you can expect that with a group of outsiders trying to shut down their mine, people are, I guess, emotional," Gallagher said.
The mine was forced to close because of a Supreme Court decision cancelling its environmental permit in November, but all workers were kept employed as the company fought the closure.
Gallagher said the courts granted an injunction to lift the suspension order Monday, and he hopes to have the mine up and running in a few days.
The shutdown had nothing to do with pollution, he added, but rather a legal technicality about how the environmental assessment was filed.
The Blackfire mine, for its part, remains closed while that company works with government officials to review its environmental issues.
Blackfire president Brent Willis has said the Mexican mine was run in an environmentally responsible way, and explained it was shut down by state authorities because the company was not properly removing dust from the roads, and did not obtain proper permits for both a road and CO2 emissions from new mining equipment.
Willis has also said Blackfire has tried to work with local members of the community, many of whom he said appreciate the company and the employment and local business it brings.
The company invited protesters, including Abarca Roblero, to come to the site to see environmental safeguards in place, but none would come, he has said.
Abarca Roblero's death is still under investigation.

http://www.winnipegfreepress.com/canada/breakingnews/79263702.html

New Gold Rises in Toronto After Mexican Mine Ruling (Update1)

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By Rob Delaney
Dec. 14 (Bloomberg) -- New Gold Inc., the Canadian miner with operations in the Americas and Australia, rose in Toronto after it said a Mexican court temporarily overturned an order to suspend mining at the company’s Cerro San Pedro site.
New Gold climbed 45 cents, or 13 percent, to C$3.84 at 4:15 p.m. in Toronto Stock Exchange trading, the biggest one-day gain since May 12. The shareshave more than doubled this year.
The court overturned a ruling by an environmental enforcement agency that suspended production at the mine in central Mexico, the Vancouver-based company said in a statement. The decision will allow mining operations to resume through the duration of an appeal, New Gold said.
“We are very pleased with the court’s decision and view this as an important interim step as we continue to work with the government and administrative bodies to find a permanent and mutually beneficial solution,” Chief Executive Officer Robert Gallagher said in the statement.
Cerro San Pedro will produce as much as 100,000 ounces this year, compared with 84,600 ounces in 2008, New Gold says on its Web site.
To contact the reporter on this story: Rob Delaney in Toronto atrobdelaney@bloomberg.net.
Last Updated: December 14, 2009 16:20 EST
http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601082&sid=asMOOELUzv2I

Mining company surrenders claim to native land in $5-million settlement, opening Ontario's far north

TORONTO — From Tuesday's Globe and MailPublished on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009 12:00AM ESTLast updated on Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2009 3:32AM EST
The Ontario government is signalling that the province's far north is open to business with the settlement of a lawsuit pitting a tiny exploration company against a native band.
The government announced yesterday that it will pay Platinex Inc. $5-million to surrender its exploration claims near Big Trout Lake in Northern Ontario. Platinex has also agreed to drop its lawsuit against the province and Kitchenuhmaykoosib Inninuwug First Nation, a fly-in community 600 kilometres north of Thunder Bay that vowed to stop the company from drilling for platinum on its traditional lands.
The settlement comes just as pressure is growing to open up the northern wilderness. Fast-growing, emerging countries such as China and India are helping to drive up commodity prices, and that has led to unprecedented exploration in Ontario. The number of exploration claims in the Ring of Fire, a mining exploration area in the James Bay Lowlands of Northern Ontario, has more than doubled to 8,200 over the past two years.
The settlement lifts the uncertainty that has hung over those proposals.
"There's no question that finding a resolution to this very, very difficult situation brings closure to a chapter that certainly in the history of the province is a relief for almost everyone," Michael Gravelle, Minister of Northern Development, Mines and Forestry, said in an interview yesterday.
Anna Baggio, director of conservation land-use planning with Wildlands League, an environmental group working with the community known as KI, said she is relieved at the settlement, but has mixed feelings about the money Platinex will receive.
"Nobody likes to see bad behaviour rewarded," she said yesterday.
KI chief Donny Morris and five other residents were sentenced to six months in jail last year for disobeying a court order to allow the Toronto-based company to explore on their territory. After they served almost 10 weeks, the Ontario Court of Appeal ruled in May, 2008, that the sentences were too harsh and reduced them to time served.
Christopher Reid, a lawyer representing KI, said the dispute could have been avoided if the government had negotiated a land-use plan with the community.
"KI never wanted taxpayers to have to pick up the tab for this," he said.
The province has since reformed the province's mining rules, but the portion that would introduce a new mechanism for addressing disputes has not yet been proclaimed into law.
Ms. Baggio said the rapid increase in mining activity is turning the boreal forest into a "wild west free for all," where exploration is taking precedence over protecting a region that has remained virtually undisturbed by human activity since the glaciers retreated.
While the Ontario government has declared a huge swath of land in the boreal forest off limits to industrial development, it has not yet drawn the boundaries for the areas to be protected.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/mining-company-surrenders-claim-to-native-land-in-5-million-settlement-opening-ontarios-far-north/article1400545/s

Energy, mine sectors lead market higher

December 15, 2009 - 5:59PM
AAP
The Australian share market closed higher with the energy and mining sectors leading the way on stronger commodity prices and merger activity.
At 1615 AEDT the benchmark S&P/ASX200 index was up 19.5 points, or 0.42 per cent, at 4,673.5, while the broader All Ordinaries gained 19.6 points, or 0.42 per cent, to 4,687.8.
On the Sydney Futures Exchange, the December share price index contract was six points lower at 4,668, on volume of 99,030 contracts.
After reaching an intraday high of 4,691 the S&P/ASX200 dropped in early-afternoon trade before recovering some ground ahead of the close.
IG Markets analyst Cameron Peacock said the gains came in all sectors but the energy, healthcare and property sectors led the way as volumes remained low ahead of Christmas.
Among the oil companies, Santos gained five cents to $13.61 and Oil Search was almost 2.2 per cent higher, up 12 cents, to $5.52, while Woodside remained in a trading halt at $47.18.
After suffering from recent falls in oil prices, the sector was buoyed by the acquisition of explorer XTO Energy by US oil giant ExxonMobil, traders said.
The big miners were also higher, with BHP Billiton up 45 cents at $41.10 and rival miner Rio Tinto adding 34 cents to $70.85.
"The weaker US dollar overnight and broadly higher base metal prices are also seeing our miners back in vogue today," Mr Peacock said.
"Whether the apparent easing of the Dubai debt situation and quietening speculation of US rate hikes is enough to reinvigorate the risk trade is yet to be determined."
Gold stocks were also higher, with Lihir Gold up four cents at $3.30 and Newcrest adding 71 cents to $35.89.
At 1622 AEDT, the spot price of gold in Sydney was $US1,124.50 per fine ounce, down $US1.78 US cents on Monday's closing price of $US1,126.28.
Among the banks, Commonwealth lost eight cents to $52.72, Westpac gained nine cents to $23.80, National Australia Bank added two cents to $27.99 and ANZ rose 27 cents to $21.43.
AXA shares gained six cents to $5.78 while AMP dropped three cents to $6.20.
Among other insurers, QBE was 17 cents higher at $23.34 and Suncorp-Metway lost six cents to $8.48.
In the property sector, Mirvac added 5.5 cents to $1.515, Stockland lifted by four cents to $3.93 and GPT Group closed up one cent to 57 cents.
GPT said on Tuesday it had sold another two non-core assets to reduce its exposure to the volatile tourism sector.
Pharmaceuticals maker CSL added 22 cents to $30.60 and Primary Healthcare was up 14 cents to $5.83.
Making news, wealth manager Perpetual bought advisory firm Fordham Group for $35 million as it sought to expand its business among high net worth individuals.
Perpetual was up five cents to $36.89.
Apollo Gas, a holder of exploration licences in NSW, doubled its share price 40 cents after its stock exchange listing.
Qantas gained two cents to $2.69 and Virgin Blue Holdings lost one cent to 55 cents.
Telstra shed four cents to $3.49.
Empire Oil and Gas was the top traded stock by turnover, with 114.4 million shares changing hands for $1.33 million.
Empire shares lost 0.1 cents, or 7.69 per cent, to 1.2 cents.
Preliminary national turnover reached 2.17 billion shares, worth $4.18 billion, with 558 stocks up, 512 down and 333 steady.
© 2009 AAP


http://news.smh.com.au/breaking-news-business/energy-mine-sectors-lead-market-higher-20091215-ksnj.html

Other News

Devolvement of powers to Panchayats

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16:24 IST
RAJYA SABHA

Union Panchayati Raj Minister Dr. C.P.Joshi today informed the Rajya Sabha that the Government proposes to amend Article 243 D of the Constitution for granting 50% reservation to women in seats and offices of Chairpersons in Panchayats at each level.

The Constitution (One Hundred and Tenth Amendment) Bill, 2009 was introduced in Parliament on 26th November, 2009.

The Bill proposes to raise the reservation for women from the present one-third to 50% of the total number of seats and offices of Chairpersons at each level. The reservation of 50% for women is also proposed in the total number of seats and offices of Chairpersons reserved in favour of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.

Article 243G of the Constitution provides that the State legislatures may take steps to endow the Panchayats with powers to plan, implement and monitor schemes for economic development and social justice. States are to make necessary provision in their respective legislation to devolve powers to the Panchayats.

Dr. C.P.Joshi was replying to a written whether the Government proposes to amend the Constitution for granting 50 per cent reservation to women in Panchayat bodies and if so, the likely date for introduction along with the essential features of the proposed Bill. Also, any likely proposal to amend the Constitution to make it mandatory to devolve certain powers to Panchayats.

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http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=55929

Proactive steps to eliminate child labour

CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE MEETING OF THE MINISTRY OF LABOUR & EMPLOYMENT
________________________________________
12:28 IST
The Union Minister of Labour & Employment, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge has said that every effort would be made to eliminate the menace of child labour from the country. Addressing the Consultative Committee attached to his Ministry, Shri Kharge said that child labour is directly linked to abject poverty and hence difficult to eliminate, yet the Centre, on its part has taken proactive steps to contain and gradually eliminate the child labour.

Shri Kharge also said that his Ministry would approach the Ministry of Finance and the Planning Commission to enhance the annual allocation for the National Child Labour Projects (NCLP) Scheme which is presently Rs. 100 crore for the year 2009-10.

The Minister also assured the Members that the Centre would also strengthen the monitoring mechanism to ensure that the Non-governmental Organisations (NGOs) and other agencies engaged in the task of implementing NCLP scheme, make the best use of monetary resources provided to them. In this task, he said, the proactive measures are also required from the State Governments. He said that the commitment of NGOs engaged in the task is vital for the success of projects being run for mainstreaming the rescued child labourers.

Shri Kharge said that he would discuss the implementation of NCLP with the State Labour Ministers very soon. For this, and also to discuss other labour related issues, a national level meeting of the State Labour Minister would be convened, the Minister announced.

The Minister pointed out that the implementation of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Programme and the Right to Education act would help in containing the menace of child labour.

Participating in the discussion, the Members lauded the scheme but expressed concern over the fact that the annual allocation for the implementation of the NCLP is only Rs. 100 Crore which is even less than the previous year’s allocation of Rs. 160 Crore. The also suggested that the Stipend amount needs to be raised from the present Rs. 100 per child and similarly, the amount of Rs. 5/- per child for nutritional food should also be enhanced. Members suggested to commission a survey to monitor the implementation of the NCLP and also to assess the management of the schools being run for the children who have been rescued from the child labour.

The Consultative Committee Meeting also discussed the issue of Registration of the Trade Unions. The Members said that though they do not have any complaint against the process of registration of Unions at the Central level, there are numerous problems at some state level labour offices. They said that the regional labour offices being run by the States, are sometimes reluctant to register the Unions. One Member suggested that the Union Government should take steps to improve the situation and amend the concerned law to set a definite time-frame for registration of the Union when the formalities are completed within stipulated time.

The Minister assured the Members that every aspect would be looked into and necessary steps would be taken after due consultations.

The Minister of State Shri Harish Rawat also participated in the Meeting and said that his Ministry would work out the detailed planning for the effective implementation of the NCLP Scheme.

Shri Prabhat C. Chaturvedi, Secretary (Labour & Employment) and other senior officials of the Ministry also participated in the Meeting.

The Members who attended the meeting were; S/Shri Gurudas Dasgupta, Anandrao V. Adsul, R.K. Singh Patel, N. Peethambara Kurup and Shri Narayan Singh Kesari.
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VBA/RS

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=55888


Mining rights of different minerals in the country
________________________________________
15:38 IST
LOK SABHA

The Minister of Mines and Minister of Development of North Eastern Region Shri B.K. Handique has said that reports of irregularity in allotment of mining rights of different minerals in the country have recently come to the notice of the Ministry of Mines. However, specific details thereof have not come to the notice of the Ministry. The State Governments are the owner of the minerals located within their respective boundaries. They grant the mineral concessions [Reconnaissance Permit (RP), Prospecting Licence (PL) and Mining Lease (ML)] under the provisions of the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) (MMDR) Act, 1957. Prior approval of the Central Government is required under Section 5 (1) of the Act for grant of RP, PL and ML in respect of the minerals specified in Parts ‘B’ and ‘C’ of the First Schedule to the Act.

In a written reply in the Lok Sabha today, he said, the Ministry of Mines is conscious of the need to have a transparent and efficient system for processing the mineral concession cases. In pursuance of the National Mineral Policy, 2008, which inter alia enunciates adoption of quick and transparent procedures for grant of mineral concessions, the Ministry has taken several steps in this direction, as mentioned below:

i. A Central Coordination-cum-Empowered Committee has been constituted in the Ministry of Mines to monitor and minimize delays in grant of approvals for mineral concessions. The Committee consists of the Central Ministries/Departments concerned and the Secretaries in charge of Mining & Geology in the States. The first meeting of the Committee was held in the Ministry on 24.7.2009. The second meeting of the Committee is scheduled to be held on 22.12.2009.

ii. The State Governments have been advised to similarly constitute Coordination Committee at the State level.

iii. The Ministry of Mines is using the internet services to bring about more accessibility and transparency in processing the mineral concession proposals recommended by the State Governments. The website of the Ministry (www.mines.nic.in) provides all information on the current status of the applications for mineral concessions. These services are being further enhanced to track the process from approval for grant to execution of concession agreement.

iv. The Ministry has, in consultation with the State Governments, issued detailed guidelines on 24.6.2009 in order to bring more clarity in processing the mineral concession proposals.

v. The Ministry has framed a Model State Mineral Policy and circulated it to all State Governments on 12.10.2009 with the request to finalise and adopt a Mineral Policy as per their priority and requirements.

vi. Procedures for revision under Section 30 of the MMDR Act, 1957 are being streamlined to reduce delays in disposal of revision applications.

vii. All instances of corruption and illegal mining practices coming to the notice are taken up with State Governments with utmost seriousness and followed up.

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NSK/AK

http://pib.nic.in/release/release.asp?relid=55888