The Global Revolt And Latin America

As the governments are found reverting to policies that reflect the interests of the old order, the indigenous and social movements have once again mobilized to demand more profound changes in their economies and societies. If there is a common theme that is driving the global upheaval—be it in the Middle East, Europe, the United States, or Latin America—it is the search for new values and participatory ways of living that will replace the old systems of domination and exploitation that are destroying our world.

http://nacla.org/news/2012/1/6/global-revolt-and-latin-america

Small-Scale Miners In 30 Provinces Account For 70% Of Mined Gold - MGB

MGB Director Leo Jasareno said there are only 30 large-scale mining operations in the country.
In contrast, there are 300,000 small-scale miners operating in the provinces of Cagayan, Nueva Vizcaya, Ilocos Norte, Abra, Benguet, Mountain Province, Kalinga, Zambales, Bulacan, Pangasinan, Rizal, Quezon, Camarines Norte, Masbate, Eastern Samar, Samar, Leyte, Southern Leyte, Cebu, Negros Occidental, Surigao del Norte, Surigao Del Sur, Agusan Del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga Del Sur, Zamboanga Del Norte, Zamboanga Sibugay, Davao Del Sur, Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley.
http://www.interaksyon.com/article/21330/small-scale-miners-in-30-provinces-account-for-70-of-mined-gold---mgb

Small-Scale Miners Choose To Live In Valley Of Death

They have lived in poverty for long and would rather embrace the valley of death than leave the gold-rich mountains of Pantukan town in Compostela Valley.

In the aftermath of the latest deadly landslide in Pantukan, Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) Director Leo Jasareno on Friday acknowledged the difficulty of convincing the small-scale miners to abandon their quest.

http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/123757/small-scale-miners-choose-to-live-in-valley-of-death

Mexico: Court in La Rioja against mining

The citizens' assemblies that reject large-scale mining began cutting "permanent" in the access road to the mine La Mexicana, La Rioja in the Famatina cord to prevent the Canadian 
http://www.lavoz.com.ar/noticias/politica/corte-rioja-contra-explotacion-minera

All High-Risk Mining Tunnels In Compostela Ordered Padlocked

 The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) and the local government units (LGUs) of Pantukan, Compostela Valley ordered all high-risk mining tunnels padlocked following a landslide Thursday in Purok Diat Uno and Purok Diat Dos in Barangay Napnapan that claimed at least 25 lives.
http://www.philstar.com/Article.aspx?articleId=765514&publicationSubCategoryId=63

Gold’s Image Tarnished By Child Labour In Mines

But for about a million children working in gold mining around the world, gold means hard work and pain. They are an important workforce in artisanal gold mining, which relies on low-tech methods and is often organised informally. In West Africa alone, at least eight countries use child labour in artisanal gold mining.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2012/01/05/gold-s-image-tarnished-child-labour-mines

Canada: Mining and water Pollution

Water is essential to life on our planet. A prerequisite of sustainable development must be to
ensure uncontaminated streams, rivers, lakes and oceans. There is growing public concern
about the condition of fresh water in Canada. Mining affects fresh water through heavy use of
water in processing ore, and through water pollution from discharged mine effluent and
seepage from tailings and waste rock impoundments. Increasingly, human activities such as
mining threaten the water sources on which we all depend.
http://www.safewater.org/PDFS/resourcesknowthefacts/Mining+and+Water+Pollution.pdf

Ghana: Water Crisis From Gold Mining Pollution

The papers findings revealed that the six rivers were polluted when GSR deposited large quantities of cyanide into them on 24th October, 2004 and 17th June, 2006.

While Dumase and Twigyaa face serious water crisis, the paper learnt that mining communities in Kenyase, Obuasi, Tarkwa and Prestea are facing similar serious water stress due to mining activities which requires urgent actions by regulatory agencies such as Environmental Protection Agency and the Water Resources Commission.

http://todaygh.com/2012/01/06/water-crisis/

Cao Bang Association For Conservation Of Nature And Environment And Hien River Water Resources Protection

For many years, Hien River water, the main providing source of drinking water for all people in Cao Bang town, has been seriously polluted by gold mining in the upper area of the river. Many policies and measures at provincial as well as local levels has been promulgated to reduce pollution of this drinking and domestic water resource.
http://vacne.org.vn/en/?newsid=1389

Rio Tinto: Neglecting Environmental Justice And Facing Up The Courts

Rio Tinto is being brought to court in other cases as well. In December 2011, a group of US physicians (belonging to the Union of Concerned Scientists) and environmentalists sued the company for violating the Clean Air Act, in the state of Utah. They estimates the mortality, health and environmental costs to the community from the pollution caused by a giant mine just next to Salt Lake City to be between $2 billion and $4 billion.

These two Rio Tinto stories are just a small glimpse of the hundreds of stories of environmental injustice throughout the world. EJOLT is doing a large inventory of such stories. The work on our database has started and will lead to an online, global and interactive map full of options for those seeking more information on specific cases.

http://www.ejolt.org/2012/01/rio-tinto-neglecting-environmental-justice-and-facing-up-the-courts/

Nevada Tribes, Enviros Lose Suit Against Big Gold Mine

The 9th Circuit Court of Appeals earlier had sided with parts of a lawsuit filed by the Great Basin Resource Watch, the Western Shoshone Defense Project and others.But Hicks said Thursday the BLM has corrected any errors in an earlier environmental assessment and now is in compliance with all U.S. laws. A lawyer for the environmentalists says they're considering an appeal.

http://www.ktvn.com/story/16460264/nv-tribes-enviros-lose-suit-against-big-gold-mine

Robredo Orders Forced Evacuation Of Disaster Site

Local officials said the lack of opportunity and the lure of money due to the high gold prices are “perpetual magnets” for small-time miners to ignore the risks.
“You can imagine how hard it is to convince these people to abandon mining. For them, the lure of high gold prices is simply irresistible. Even if you give these miners land to farm, they would still go to the mountains to dig for gold,”
http://newsinfo.inquirer.net/123645/robredo-orders-forced-evacuation-of-disaster-site

Residents Along “Polluted River” Threaten To Deal With Newmont

Analytical Chemist of WACAM Samuel Obiri confirmed that dead fishes in River Subri is as a resulted of polluted water but not loss of oxygen.
Mr. Obiri explained that though WACAM was yet to do laboratory test on the water, one could tell from the smell of the water that it had been polluted with cyanide.

http://edition.myjoyonline.com/pages/news/201201/79254.php

A Call To Reverse The Impacts Of Climate Change, Environmental Degradation And Corporate Greed.

Like the previous administrations, the Aquino administration has been quick to blame the small-scale miners for disasters that occur in their communities. Small-scale miners are singled out as culprits whose practices destroy the environment. Small-scale mining (SSM) operations have been ongoing for the past 30 years in Pantukan, one of the country’s sources of mineral reserves for export. Yet throughout this whole period, the government has not made any programs to manage the small-scale mining sector, rehabilitate geologically-critical areas, and provide sustainable and safer means of livelihood opportunities for the people.
http://www.mindanaoexaminer.com/news.php?news_id=20120105075007

Canadian Miner Wins Case

“We stand by the position of the the Interior and Local Government that the local government units should not create ordinances that will run in conflict of the national laws. This proves that our rule of law still shows respect for the national laws,” Environment Secretary Ramon Paje said in a telephone interview.
http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/insideBusiness.htm?f=2012/january/6/business1.isx&d=2012/january/6

Philippine Village Searched After Deadly Landslide

 Authorities resumed searching Friday for victims of a landslide that killed at least 22 people in a remote Philippine gold-mining village where miners work their small-scale claims with pickaxes.
"It was like a dump truck unloading gravel and sand," said survivor Darwin Aguinawon, 27. "In only three seconds, our house came rolling down the slope."
http://www.ajc.com/news/nation-world/philippine-village-searched-after-1291522.html

EPA Says Metals Mining Still Largest U.S. Toxic Releases Generator

The metal mining sector reported 1,622.6 million pounds of on-site and off-site disposal or other releases, as well as 1,775.1 million pounds of production-related waste managed in 2010. This represented 41% of the total disposal or other releases generated in the nation in 2010.
http://www.mineweb.com/mineweb/view/mineweb/en/page72068?oid=142618&sn=Detail&pid=102055