ecominerals : Messages : 1133-1162 of 2043

Thanks for the news Zuleica,

Some comments:

Indeed, in terms of the number and the magnitude of contamination - and its complexity - mercury contamination around ASM sites clearly is the most significant in the world - ten's of thousands of sites and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of mercury. Lars Hylander wrote a paper that estimated that 1,000,000 tonnes of mercury has been used in gold and silver mining in the last 500 years. So the contamination challenge is massive and touches both developing and developed countries - those with historical gold rushes for example. But from a strategic perspective, in my opinion, reducing and where feasible, eliminating current mercury use in ASGM to prevent further contamination should be one of the highest priorities. This doesn't need to be exclusive but prevention is immeasurably cheaper than clean up for mercury in ASM. In terms of remediation of ASM contaminated sites, the most feasible and economically attainable first line approach is likely to be re-processing mercury contaminated tailings to capture the mercury and get the gold. In fact this is to a small degree ongoing in Tanzania and in South America. This is practical because the mercury can be extracted by using the profits generated by recovering the gold in the tailings - which is typically abundant due to originally inefficiently practices.

Two big questions arise from this:

1. What to do with the mercury captured from the tailings during re-processing? The UNEP Waste and Storage Partnership will need to think carefully about this.

2. Reprocessing tailings for gold without considering the mercury contamination will almost certainly exacerbate the contamination problem and so the re-processing needs to be done appropriately. How can this be assured?

Best Regards,

Kevin

Dr. Kevin Telmer, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Artisanal Gold Council (www.artisanalgold.org)
Prof., SEOS, University of Victoria (www.seos.uvic.ca)
Chair, IUGS-GEM (www.iugs-gem.org)

World Emissions of Mercury from ASM: www.mercurywatch.org

2010/10/18 Zuleica Nycz <zu.terra@...>

Tapajos River in the Pará State (North of Brazil) may be contaminated with 37 tons of mercury.

Study reveals that soil, plants, water, fishes and communities are exposed to mercury at alarming levels.

The source of mercury is the artisanal gold mining in the last 15 years.

218 samples of vegetation collected in a local community have 2,400% of mercury above of the acceptable level. A maximum concentration (1,280ppm) was observed in a spiderweb collected in a gold store in the village.

The main ways of contamination are the evaporation of the mercury amalgamation (gold mining) and the fish consumption.

(Zuleica – Brazil)

37 t de mercúrio contaminam Pará - 12/07/2005

Local: São Paulo - SP
Fonte: O Estado de S.Paulo
Link: http://www.estado.com.br/
Pesquisa mostra que solo, plantas, água, peixes e moradores de garimpo estão expostos ao metal em níveis alarmantes

Um estudo realizado pelo Centro de Tecnologia Mineral (Cetem), instituto ligado ao Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia, indica que os níveis de contaminação por mercúrio nos solos, nas plantas, nas águas, nos peixes e até nos moradores da Reserva Garimpeira da Bacia do Tapajós, no Pará, estão acima das concentrações máximas aceitas pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). O garimpo do Tapajós é a origem de metade de todo o ouro extraído no Brasil.

Um grupo de 23 pesquisadores do Cetem coletou em 2003 mais de mil amostras ambientais e biológicas nas pequenas comunidades de São Chico e Creporizinho, que pertencem ao município de Itaituba, no sudoeste paraense. Eles constataram que, no caso dos peixes, 60% tinham teores altíssimos de mercúrio no organismo. E estimaram em 37 toneladas o total desse metal liberado nos rios e na atmosfera nos últimos 15 anos somente nas duas comunidades.

"O objetivo do estudo era saber como os garimpeiros e a população não garimpeira estão contaminando a si próprios e o ambiente", explica Saulo Rodrigues Filho, o coordenador da pesquisa.

Os limites da Organização Mundial da Saúde foram ultrapassados também nas plantas. Na comunidade de São Chico, por exemplo, 18 amostras de vegetais chegaram a ter 2.400% do metal acima do valor aceitável. A concentração máxima de mercúrio, 1.280 partes por milhão (ppm), foi observada numa teia de aranha coletada numa loja de ouro na vila.

Complica a situação a grande mobilidade do mercúrio. "Por ser um metal pesado, sofre poucas transformações. O mercúrio que vai para o rio, por exemplo, alcança grandes distâncias, até 20 quilômetros", diz Saulo.

Depois de coletado, o ouro é posto em contato com o mercúrio, que o separa de outros materiais. Em seguida, é feita a queima do amálgama (mercúrio misturado com ouro) para purificar o ouro. A contaminação ocorre nesses dois momentos, quando o mercúrio escapa para a água e para a atmosfera.

SAÚDE
No caso da saúde da população ribeirinha daquelas comunidades, a pesquisa analisou as duas principais vias de exposição ao mercúrio: pelo vapor liberado durante a queima do amálgama e pelo consumo do peixe dos rios. Isso foi feito por meio da análise de amostras de sangue, urina e cabelo.

Os sintomas nas comunidades ainda não são agudos. Mas, como o efeito da contaminação é cumulativo, deverão aparecer a longo prazo. Muitos moradores da região já reclamam: 50% relataram gosto metálico na boca, tremor e palpitação e 40% tinham sensações de formigamento, adormecimento ou ardência nas mãos e nos pés.

A doença decorrente da intoxicação de mercúrio ficou conhecida como mal de Minamata. Na década de 1950, milhares de pessoas que se alimentavam de peixes e de frutos do mar na baía de Minamata, no Japão, desenvolveram sintomas no sistema nervoso e cérebro. O mercúrio era jogado por uma indústria química num rio que desaguava no mar.

"Até hoje não há uma conclusão epidemiológica de quantas pessoas de fato foram afetadas porque os estudos realizados na época eram precários", explica o toxicologista Sergio Graff. "Mas o resultado da catástrofe foi no mínimo de 1.400 mortes."

CAMPANHA
A população do garimpo paraense ainda não sabe que aqueles são sintomas da exposição ao mercúrio. Só agora uma campanha do Cetem vai mostrar aos moradores do local os resultados da pesquisa e ensinar como extrair o ouro sem riscos. Com rimas de cordel, a campanha vai tentar recuperar o tempo perdido. Cartilhas, bonés e camisetas com as rimas serão distribuídas. Mais à frente, deverão ser entregues equipamentos mais seguros para a prospecção de ouro.

Esse projeto de conscientização ganhou uma concorrência mundial preparada pela Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) e se tornou o braço brasileiro do Projeto Mercúrio Global, cujo objetivo é diminuir a poluição por mercúrio em águas internacionais. Há iniciativas semelhantes em países como Laos, Sudão e Tanzânia.

A pesquisadora Zuleica Castilhos, coordenadora da campanha, explica por que os bonés e as camisetas de conscientização serão comprados antes dos equipamentos de segurança. "Primeiro precisamos convencer os garimpeiros de que é importante usar materiais seguros em seu trabalho. Mostraremos as vantagens e só depois forneceremos o que pode melhorar a qualidade de vida de fato. Se eles não sabem quais as vantagens, podem chegar a nem usar as novas tecnologias."

As amostras da pesquisa já foram apresentadas em Brasília a pesquisadores, a organizações não-governamentais e a representantes dos ministérios da Saúde, do Meio Ambiente, de Minas e Energia, da Educação e do Trabalho.

Segundo a pesquisadora do Cetem, a campanha também tem o objetivo de alcançar a outra ponta que move o mercado do garimpo. "Podemos atingir também o consumidor final, conscientizar as lojas de jóia e o mercado financeiro para que eles ofereçam recursos para o minerador."

Cartilha alerta garimpeiros para o perigo
RIMA: "Queimar ouro não é errado, mas o azougue vai disfarçado, vira fumaça, o bicho danado" diz uma das rimas da cartilha preparada pelo Cetem para explicar como se proteger do azougue, denominação popular do mercúrio. Com desenhos, o livreto mostra a necessidade do uso de máscaras e de um equipamento chamado retorta, que não permite que o mercúrio evaporado contamine o ambiente.

Segundo a pesquisadora Zuleica Castilhos, quando retortas são utilizadas, as perdas são muito baixas, menos de 0,05% do mercúrio. Sem o equipamento, mais de 50% do mercúrio vai para o ambiente. "Essa prática de reciclagem é um dos procedimentos fundamentais para se reduzir a sobrecarga de mercúrio n o ambiente", diz.

A verba da ONU para o Projeto Mercúrio Global é de US$ 3 milhões para 6 países. No Brasil, foram gastos US$ 130 mil. Cerca de US$ 34 mil serão para a campanha de esclarecimento. O Cetem ainda não sabe qual é o custo da fase final, mas crê que os equipamentos novo estarão listados até o fim do ano. O Cetem coordena o projeto junto com o Instituto Evandro Chagas e a Fundação Nacional de Saúde.

Claudia Ferraz

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#1134

From: VILLASBOAS@...
Date: Mon Oct 18, 2010 7:35 pm
Subject: Re: Re: [Zeromercury] Flashback 37 tons of mercury contaminate Para State in Brazil

VILLASBOAS@...

Dear Zuleica,Kevin and ecominerals´ friends.

For the questions you asked,Kevin, my suggestion is that Zeromercury and/or
Global Mercury Partnership negotiate with the Clinton - Yusta Fund in funding such an endevour .

Cheers, Villas-Boas

> Thanks for the news Zuleica,
>
> Some comments:

>
> Indeed, in terms of the number and the magnitude of
contamination - and
> its
> complexity - mercury
contamination around ASM sites clearly is the most
> significant
in the world - ten's of thousands of sites and hundreds of
>
thousands of tonnes of mercury. Lars Hylander wrote a paper that estimated

> that 1,000,000 tonnes of mercury has been used in gold and
silver mining
> in
> the last 500 years. So the
contamination challenge is massive and touches
> both developing
and developed countries - those with historical gold
> rushes
/>> for example. But from a strategic perspective, in my opinion,
reducing and
> where feasible, eliminating current mercury use in
ASGM to prevent further
> contamination should be one of the
highest priorities. This doesn't need
> to
> be
exclusive but prevention is immeasurably cheaper than clean up for
/>> mercury in ASM. In terms of remediation of ASM contaminated sites,
the
> most
> feasible and economically attainable first
line approach is likely to be
> re-processing mercury
contaminated tailings to capture the mercury and get
> the gold.
In fact this is to a small degree ongoing in Tanzania and in
>
South
> America. This is practical because the mercury can be
extracted by using
> the
> profits generated by
recovering the gold in the tailings - which is
> typically
abundant due to originally inefficiently practices.
>
>
Two big questions arise from this:
> 1. What to do with the
mercury captured from the tailings during
> re-processing? The
UNEP Waste and Storage Partnership will need to think
> carefully
about this.
> 2. Reprocessing tailings for gold without
considering the mercury
> contamination will almost certainly
exacerbate the contamination problem
> and
> so the
re-processing needs to be done appropriately. How can this be
>
assured?
>
>
> Best Regards,
> Kevin

>
> **
>
> Dr. Kevin Telmer, Ph.D.
/>> Executive Director, Artisanal Gold Council (www.artisanalgold.org)

> Prof., SEOS, University of Victoria (www.seos.uvic.ca)
/>> Chair, IUGS-GEM (www.iugs-gem.org)
>
>
>

> World Emissions of Mercury from ASM: www.mercurywatch.org
/>>
>
>
>
> 2010/10/18 Zuleica Nycz
<zu.terra@...>
>
>>
>>
/>>>
>>
>> *Tapajos River in the
ParÃ¡ State (North of Brazil) may be contaminated
/>>> with 37 tons of mercury.*
>>
>> * *
/>>>
>> Study reveals that soil, plants, water, fishes
and communities are
>> exposed
>> to mercury at
alarming levels.
>>
>> The source of mercury is
the artisanal gold mining in the last 15 years.
>>
/>>>
>>
>> 218 samples of vegetation
collected in a local community have 2,400% of
>> mercury above
of the acceptable level. A maximum concentration
>> (1,280ppm)

>> was observed in a spiderweb collected in a gold store in
the village.
>>
>>
>>
>>
The main ways of contamination are the evaporation of the mercury
/>>> amalgamation (gold mining) and the fish consumption.
/>>>
>>
>>
>> (Zuleica
â€“ Brazil)
>>
>>
>>

>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
*37 t de mercÃºrio contaminam ParÃ¡* - 12/07/2005

>>
>> *Local:* SÃ£o Paulo - SP
/>>> *Fonte:* O Estado de S.Paulo
>> *Link:*
http://www.estado.com.br/
>>
>> *Pesquisa mostra
que solo, plantas, Ã¡gua, peixes e moradores de garimpo
/>>> estÃ£o expostos ao metal em nÃveis
alarmantes*
>>
>> Um estudo realizado pelo Centro
de Tecnologia Mineral (Cetem), instituto
>> ligado ao
MinistÃ©rio da CiÃªncia e Tecnologia, indica que
os nÃveis de
>>
contaminaÃ§Ã£o por mercÃºrio nos
solos, nas plantas, nas Ã¡guas, nos
>> peixes e

>> atÃ© nos moradores da Reserva Garimpeira da
Bacia do TapajÃ³s, no ParÃ¡,
>>
estÃ£o
>> acima das
concentraÃ§Ãµes mÃ¡ximas aceitas
pela OrganizaÃ§Ã£o Mundial da
>>
SaÃºde
>> (OMS). O garimpo do TapajÃ³s
Ã© a origem de metade de todo o ouro
>>
extraÃdo no
>> Brasil.
>>
/>>> Um grupo de 23 pesquisadores do Cetem coletou em 2003 mais de
mil
>> amostras
>> ambientais e
biolÃ³gicas nas pequenas comunidades de SÃ£o
Chico e
>> Creporizinho, que pertencem ao
municÃpio de Itaituba, no sudoeste
>> paraense.

>> Eles constataram que, no caso dos peixes, 60% tinham teores
altÃssimos
>> de
>>
mercÃºrio no organismo. E estimaram em 37 toneladas o total
desse metal
>> liberado nos rios e na atmosfera nos
Ãºltimos 15 anos somente nas duas
>> comunidades.

>>
>> "O objetivo do estudo era saber como os
garimpeiros e a populaÃ§Ã£o nÃ£o
/>>> garimpeira estÃ£o contaminando a si
prÃ³prios e o ambiente", explica
>> Saulo
/>>> Rodrigues Filho, o coordenador da pesquisa.
>>
/>>> Os limites da OrganizaÃ§Ã£o Mundial da
SaÃºde foram ultrapassados
>> tambÃ©m
nas
>> plantas. Na comunidade de SÃ£o Chico, por
exemplo, 18 amostras de
>> vegetais
>> chegaram a
ter 2.400% do metal acima do valor aceitÃ¡vel. A
/>>> concentraÃ§Ã£o
>>
mÃ¡xima de mercÃºrio, 1.280 partes por
milhÃ£o (ppm), foi observada numa
>> teia
/>>> de aranha coletada numa loja de ouro na vila.
>>

>> Complica a situaÃ§Ã£o a grande
mobilidade do mercÃºrio. "Por ser um
>> metal

>> pesado, sofre poucas
transformaÃ§Ãµes. O mercÃºrio que vai
para o rio,
>> por
>> exemplo,
alcanÃ§a grandes distÃ¢ncias, atÃ© 20
quilÃ´metros", diz Saulo.
>>
>>

Depois de coletado, o ouro Ã© posto em contato com o
mercÃºrio, que o
>> separa
>> de
outros materiais. Em seguida, Ã© feita a queima do
amÃ¡lgama
>> (mercÃºrio
/>>> misturado com ouro) para purificar o ouro. A
contaminaÃ§Ã£o ocorre
>> nesses
/>>> dois momentos, quando o mercÃºrio escapa para a
Ã¡gua e para a
>> atmosfera.
>>
/>>> *SAÃšDE*
>>
>> No caso da
saÃºde da populaÃ§Ã£o ribeirinha
daquelas comunidades, a
>> pesquisa
>> analisou as
duas principais vias de exposiÃ§Ã£o ao
mercÃºrio: pelo vapor
>> liberado durante a queima
do amÃ¡lgama e pelo consumo do peixe dos rios.
>>
Isso foi feito por meio da anÃ¡lise de amostras de sangue,
urina e
>> cabelo.
>>
>> Os sintomas
nas comunidades ainda nÃ£o sÃ£o agudos. Mas,
como o efeito
>> da
>>
contaminaÃ§Ã£o Ã© cumulativo,
deverÃ£o aparecer a longo prazo. Muitos
>>
moradores da regiÃ£o jÃ¡ reclamam: 50% relataram
gosto metÃ¡lico na
>> boca,
>> tremor
e palpitaÃ§Ã£o e 40% tinham
sensaÃ§Ãµes de formigamento,
>>
adormecimento ou
>> ardÃªncia nas
mÃ£os e nos pÃ©s.
>>
>> A
doenÃ§a decorrente da intoxicaÃ§Ã£o
de mercÃºrio ficou conhecida como
>> mal de
/>>> Minamata. Na dÃ©cada de 1950, milhares de pessoas
que se alimentavam de
>> peixes e de frutos do mar na
baÃa de Minamata, no JapÃ£o, desenvolveram
/>>> sintomas no sistema nervoso e cÃ©rebro. O
mercÃºrio era jogado por uma
>>
indÃºstria quÃmica num rio que desaguava no mar.

>>
>> "AtÃ© hoje
nÃ£o hÃ¡ uma conclusÃ£o
epidemiolÃ³gica de quantas pessoas de
>> fato
/>>> foram afetadas porque os estudos realizados na
Ã©poca eram precÃ¡rios",
>>
explica o toxicologista Sergio Graff. "Mas o resultado da
catÃ¡strofe
>> foi no
>>
mÃnimo de 1.400 mortes."
>>
>>
*CAMPANHA*
>>
>> A
populaÃ§Ã£o do garimpo paraense ainda
nÃ£o sabe que aqueles sÃ£o
>>
sintomas da
>> exposiÃ§Ã£o ao
mercÃºrio. SÃ³ agora uma campanha do Cetem vai
mostrar
>> aos
>> moradores do local os resultados
da pesquisa e ensinar como extrair o
>> ouro
>>
sem riscos. Com rimas de cordel, a campanha vai tentar recuperar o
/>>> tempo
>> perdido. Cartilhas, bonÃ©s e
camisetas com as rimas serÃ£o
>>
distribuÃdas.
>> Mais Ã frente,
deverÃ£o ser entregues equipamentos mais seguros para a
/>>> prospecÃ§Ã£o de ouro.
>>

>> Esse projeto de conscientizaÃ§Ã£o
ganhou uma concorrÃªncia mundial
>> preparada
/>>> pela OrganizaÃ§Ã£o das
NaÃ§Ãµes Unidas (ONU) e se tornou o
braÃ§o
>> brasileiro do
>> Projeto
MercÃºrio Global, cujo objetivo Ã© diminuir a
poluiÃ§Ã£o por
>>
mercÃºrio em
>> Ã¡guas
internacionais. HÃ¡ iniciativas semelhantes em
paÃses como
>> Laos, SudÃ£o
/>>> e TanzÃ¢nia.
>>
>> A
pesquisadora Zuleica Castilhos, coordenadora da campanha, explica por
/>>> que
>> os bonÃ©s e as camisetas de
conscientizaÃ§Ã£o serÃ£o comprados
antes dos
>> equipamentos de seguranÃ§a.
"Primeiro precisamos convencer os
>> garimpeiros de
/>>> que Ã© importante usar materiais seguros em seu
trabalho. Mostraremos
>> as
>> vantagens e
sÃ³ depois forneceremos o que pode melhorar a qualidade de
/>>> vida
>> de fato. Se eles nÃ£o sabem
quais as vantagens, podem chegar a nem usar
>> as
/>>> novas tecnologias."
>>
>> As
amostras da pesquisa jÃ¡ foram apresentadas em
BrasÃlia a
>> pesquisadores,
>> a
organizaÃ§Ãµes nÃ£o-governamentais e
a representantes dos ministÃ©rios
>> da
/>>> SaÃºde, do Meio Ambiente, de Minas e Energia, da
EducaÃ§Ã£o e do
>> Trabalho.
/>>>
>> Segundo a pesquisadora do Cetem, a campanha
tambÃ©m tem o objetivo de
>> alcanÃ§ar
a outra ponta que move o mercado do garimpo. "Podemos atingir
/>>> tambÃ©m o consumidor final, conscientizar as lojas
de jÃ³ia e o mercado
>> financeiro para que eles
ofereÃ§am recursos para o minerador."
>>
/>>> *Cartilha alerta garimpeiros para o perigo*
>>
/>>> RIMA: "Queimar ouro nÃ£o Ã©
errado, mas o azougue vai disfarÃ§ado, vira
>>
fumaÃ§a, o bicho danado" diz uma das rimas da cartilha
preparada pelo
>> Cetem
>> para explicar como se
proteger do azougue, denominaÃ§Ã£o popular do
/>>> mercÃºrio.
>> Com desenhos, o livreto
mostra a necessidade do uso de mÃ¡scaras e de um
/>>> equipamento chamado retorta, que nÃ£o permite que
o mercÃºrio evaporado
>> contamine o ambiente.
/>>>
>> Segundo a pesquisadora Zuleica Castilhos, quando
retortas sÃ£o
>> utilizadas,
>> as
perdas sÃ£o muito baixas, menos de 0,05% do
mercÃºrio. Sem o
>> equipamento,
>>
mais de 50% do mercÃºrio vai para o ambiente. "Essa
prÃ¡tica de
>> reciclagem Ã©
/>>> um dos procedimentos fundamentais para se reduzir a sobrecarga
de
>> mercÃºrio n
>> o ambiente",
diz.
>>
>> A verba da ONU para o Projeto
MercÃºrio Global Ã© de US$ 3 milhÃµes
para
>> 6
>> paÃses. No Brasil, foram
gastos US$ 130 mil. Cerca de US$ 34 mil
>> serÃ£o

>> para a campanha de esclarecimento. O Cetem ainda
nÃ£o sabe qual Ã© o
>> custo da
/>>> fase final, mas crÃª que os equipamentos novo
estarÃ£o listados atÃ© o
>> fim do

>> ano. O Cetem coordena o projeto junto com o Instituto
Evandro Chagas e
>> a
>>
FundaÃ§Ã£o Nacional de SaÃºde.
/>>>
>> Claudia Ferraz
>>
>>
/>>> ------------------------------
>>
>>
Esta mensagem foi verificada pelo E-mail Protegido Terra.
>>
Atualizado em 14/10/2010
>>
>>
>>
/>>> __________ InformaÃ§Ã£o do ESET NOD32
Antivirus, versÃ£o da vacina 5540
>> (20101017)
__________
>>
>> A mensagem foi verificada pelo
ESET NOD32 Antivirus.
>>
>> http://www.eset.com

>>
>> --
>> VocÃª recebeu
esta mensagem porque estÃ¡ inscrito no Grupo
>>
"ArticulaÃ§Ã£o
>>
MineraÃ§Ã£o-Siderurgia" nos Grupos do
Google.
>>
>> As mensagens dessa lista
tÃªm circulaÃ§Ã£o restrita a membros

>> articulados na
>> Rede Brasileira de
JustiÃ§a Ambiental. Repasses devem ser feitos somente
/>>> apÃ³s
>> consulta ao/Ã
autor/a, que Ã© responsÃ¡vel pelo
conteÃºdo de suas
>> mensagens.
>>
/>>> Visite o nosso sÃtio:
http://www.justicaambiental.org.br
>>
>> Para
postar neste grupo, envie um e-mail para
>>
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>> Para cancelar a sua
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/>>> Para ver mais opÃ§Ãµes, visite este
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>>
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/>>> ------------------------------
>>
>>
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>>
Atualizado em 17/10/2010
>>
>>
_______________________________________________
>> Zeromercury
mailing list
>> Zeromercury@...
>>
http://lists.eeb.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/zeromercury
>>

>

#1135

From: Lisa Sachs <lsachs1@...>
Date: Wed Oct 20, 2010 12:03 am
Subject: Columbia conference on "Extractive Industries and Sustainable Development" (Oct 27-28, 2010)

lsachs1@...

Dear Colleagues,

Registration is still open for "Extractive Industries and Sustainable Development: the Challenges of Implementation" to be held at Columbia University on October 27-28, 2010.

Registration is FREE (but required) for all Conference events.

Information about the conference, including the program and a link to the registration page, is available at: http://www.vcc.columbia.edu/content/extractive-industries-and-sustainable-development-challenges-implementation-fifth-columbia-i

The purpose of the conference is to discuss and assess how past and ongoing efforts and initiatives to promote cooperative, transparent, equitable, and efficient FDI in the extractive industries have succeeded, how success is measured, and how these successes can be scaled up and better implemented in the future to achieve real development outcomes. The conference will be a Davos-style discussion that will be forward looking and solution-oriented.

Confirmed Panelists include:

Motoko Aizawa, Head of the Policy and Standards Unit, Environment and Social Development Department, International Finance Corporation
H.E. Nahas Angula, Prime Minister, Namibia
H.E. Esperanca Bias, Minister of Mineral Resources, Mozambique
Benjamin L. Cardin, U.S. Senator, Maryland
Peter Eigen, Chair, EITI
Philip Hemmens, Senior Vice President of Safety and Environment, Exploration and Production Division, eni
Mick Keen, Assistant Director, Fiscal Affairs Department, IMF
Karin Lissakers, Director, Revenue Watch Institute
Herbert M'cleod, Office of the President, Sierra Leone
Petter Nore, President of Oil for Development (OfD)
Jeffrey Sachs, Director, Earth Instituteat Columbia University
Thero Setiloane, Executive Vice President of Sustainability, AngloGold Ashanti
Mark Tercek, President and CEO, The Nature Conservancy

The complete list of panelists is on the website.

If you have any questions about the Conference, please email us at lsachs1@....

-- The Vale Columbia Center on Sustainable International Investment, Columbia University� (www.vcc.columbia.edu)

#1136

From: "Ana Maria Esteves" <amesteves@...>
Date: Tue Oct 19, 2010 3:16 pm
Subject: Local SME Procurement

amesteves@...

Procurement Guide FINAL for web.pdf

Dear ecominerals colleagues

Attached is a recently published Guide for sourcing goods and services from local communities, aimed primarily at corporate professionals working in the resources sector in procurement/supply chain, community relations and contract management roles. The Guide speaks to all of these roles and asserts that successful implementation of a local procurement policy requires commitment and alignment across a broad range of functions, including: those who make the decisions on contract strategy, those who administer the tender process, end-users who are managing the contracts, major contractors responsible for managing smaller contracts and staff tasked with building relationships with the community.

While the application focus is the Australian resources sector, the Guide draws on case studies of 26 ‘good’ practice examples from around the globe.

The Guide can also be downloaded from http://www.csrm.uq.edu.au.

Best regards

Dr Ana Maria Esteves

+31 652 472 162 amesteves@communityinsights.com.au

1 of 1 File(s)

#1137

From: "Heap, Alan " <alan.heap@...>
Date: Wed Oct 20, 2010 8:12 pm
Subject: Iron ore in Brazil-Environmental permitting

alan.heap@...

Hello  ecominerals colleagues
Last week in Brazil I was struck by the high level of environmental permitting
challenge to new iron ore projects. The issue is water and affects slurry
pipelines and tailings dams.
However I'm struggling to get a broader perspective on this: what are the
concerns, surely Brazil has plenty of water unlike here in Australia.
I wonder if anyone can point me to some background (preferably in English).
Many thanks
Alan Heap

--------------------------
Alan Heap
Managing Director
  Global Commodity Analysis
Citi Investment Research
Tel:61282254853

Reply | Messages in this Topic (3)

#1138

From: Alberto Fonseca <adfonsec@...>
Date: Thu Oct 21, 2010 2:34 pm
Subject: Re: Iron ore in Brazil-Environmental permitting

adfonsec@...

Hi Alan,

Brazil has about 8,500,000 km2. Water availability and environmental
licensing processes vary substantially across regions. Because you are
an investor and have said that Brazil has “plenty” of water, I am
going to assume that you are talking about the northern region
(probably Para State), where the Amazon River and its tributaries flow
and where international mining investments (particularly in iron ore)
are booming.

That region is indeed blessed with water and other natural resources.
However, Brazil’s environmental regulators are not naive. They have
created a licensing system (underpinned by the constitution and other
key policies) that requires socio-environmental impact assessments
(EIAs) to understand the long-term implications of using those
resources.

EIAs in Brazil and elsewhere, despite many resilient problems, are
getting better in several realms: technical content, society
participation/consultation, streamlined procedures, follow-up
programs, etc. As a result, investors are now realizing that their
“wonderful” projects might not get an “environmental license” unless
they allocated substantial financial, political and technical efforts
to prove that their projects are socially and environmentally viable
in the long-term. Ok, water quantity might be there, but for how long?
And how about water quality? And the implications of the related
economic growth of poorly governmed mining towns hosting those
projects? And the cumulative impacts of water usage in the region? The
decision-making process is getting more sophisticated...

A number of iron projects in northern Brazil have a legacy of serious
problems. Take a look, for example, at the social and environmental
indicators of the Brazilian Carajás region as a whole and of the towns
and cities (e.g. Paraopeba) hosting mining operations. In this
context, EIA expectations are getting higher and higher. The
above-average studies undertaken for the Juruti Project in northern
Brazil reflect this phenomenon:

http://www.alcoa.com/brazil/en/custom_page/environment_juruti_licenciamento.asp

Anyway, having said all that, here is a World Bank summary report (in
English) addressing Brazil’s environmental license process in the
context of growing demands for water resources.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTWAT/0,,contentMDK:21820401~me\
nuPK:4796187~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:4602123,00.html

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTWAT/Resources/4602122-1214578930250/Summar\
y_Report.pdf

Unfortunately, the full report is in Portuguese:

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTWAT/Resources/4602122-1214578930250/Relato\
rio_PRINCIPAL.pdf

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Alberto


Alberto Fonseca, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Waterloo
Faculty of Environment
+1.647.347.1766
adfonsec@...



Quoting "Heap, Alan " <alan.heap@...>:

> Hello  ecominerals colleagues
> Last week in Brazil I was struck by the high level of environmental
> permitting challenge to new iron ore projects. The issue is water
> and affects slurry pipelines and tailings dams.
> However I'm struggling to get a broader perspective on this: what
> are the concerns, surely Brazil has plenty of water unlike here in
> Australia.
> I wonder if anyone can point me to some background (preferably in English).
> Many thanks
> Alan Heap
>
> --------------------------
> Alan Heap
> Managing Director
>  Global Commodity Analysis
> Citi Investment Research
> Tel:61282254853

Reply | Messages in this Topic (3)

#1139

From: "Zuleica Nycz" <zu.terra@...>
Date: Thu Oct 21, 2010 5:27 pm
Subject: RES: [Zeromercury] Flashback 37 tons of mercury contaminate Para State in Brazil

zu.terra@...

Hi Kevin

Thanks for your comments and provoking questions that make us even more interested in the issue. It is important for us to learn more with you, Eric Uram (Sierra Club), Lars Hylander, Richard Gutierrez, Mr. Villas Bôas (Brazilian Gov.) and others who are deeply studying artisanal gold mining problems and searching for the best solutions for this terrible problem.

As Mr. Villas Boas said other day, your questions are challenging and need to be addressed. One question about the mercury recovered from tailings during re-processing reminds me other question about the mercury as a by-product of other ore mines, such as copper, iron, and maybe others. I would ask you if this info is correct and in case it is, what the great companies do with this mercury, and is the amount of this mercury significant and available for permanent storing ? (that is – is the mercury technically possible or economically feasible to be extracted from the industrial mining waste and be safely stored?).

Zuleica

De: zeromercury-bounces@... [mailto:zeromercury-bounces@...] Em nome de Kevin Telmer
Enviada em: segunda-feira, 18 de outubro de 2010 06:57
Para: Zuleica Nycz
Cc: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com; heavy-metals-wg@...; ZeroMercuryWorkingGroup
Assunto: Re: [Zeromercury] Flashback 37 tons of mercury contaminate Para State in Brazil

Thanks for the news Zuleica,

Some comments:

Two big questions arise from this:

1. What to do with the mercury captured from the tailings during re-processing? The UNEP Waste and Storage Partnership will need to think carefully about this.

Best Regards,

Kevin

Dr. Kevin Telmer, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Artisanal Gold Council (www.artisanalgold.org)
Prof., SEOS, University of Victoria (www.seos.uvic.ca)
Chair, IUGS-GEM (www.iugs-gem.org)

World Emissions of Mercury from ASM: www.mercurywatch.org

2010/10/18 Zuleica Nycz <zu.terra@...>

Tapajos River in the Pará State (North of Brazil) may be contaminated with 37 tons of mercury.

Study reveals that soil, plants, water, fishes and communities are exposed to mercury at alarming levels.

The source of mercury is the artisanal gold mining in the last 15 years.

218 samples of vegetation collected in a local community have 2,400% of mercury above of the acceptable level. A maximum concentration (1,280ppm) was observed in a spiderweb collected in a gold store in the village.

The main ways of contamination are the evaporation of the mercury amalgamation (gold mining) and the fish consumption.

(Zuleica – Brazil)

37 t de mercúrio contaminam Pará - 12/07/2005

Local: São Paulo - SP
Fonte: O Estado de S.Paulo
Link: http://www.estado.com.br/

Pesquisa mostra que solo, plantas, água, peixes e moradores de garimpo estão expostos ao metal em níveis alarmantes

Um estudo realizado pelo Centro de Tecnologia Mineral (Cetem), instituto ligado ao Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia, indica que os níveis de contaminação por mercúrio nos solos, nas plantas, nas águas, nos peixes e até nos moradores da Reserva Garimpeira da Bacia do Tapajós, no Pará, estão acima das concentrações máximas aceitas pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). O garimpo do Tapajós é a origem de metade de todo o ouro extraído no Brasil.

Um grupo de 23 pesquisadores do Cetem coletou em 2003 mais de mil amostras ambientais e biológicas nas pequenas comunidades de São Chico e Creporizinho, que pertencem ao município de Itaituba, no sudoeste paraense. Eles constataram que, no caso dos peixes, 60% tinham teores altíssimos de mercúrio no organismo. E estimaram em 37 toneladas o total desse metal liberado nos rios e na atmosfera nos últimos 15 anos somente nas duas comunidades.

"O objetivo do estudo era saber como os garimpeiros e a população não garimpeira estão contaminando a si próprios e o ambiente", explica Saulo Rodrigues Filho, o coordenador da pesquisa.

Os limites da Organização Mundial da Saúde foram ultrapassados também nas plantas. Na comunidade de São Chico, por exemplo, 18 amostras de vegetais chegaram a ter 2.400% do metal acima do valor aceitável. A concentração máxima de mercúrio, 1.280 partes por milhão (ppm), foi observada numa teia de aranha coletada numa loja de ouro na vila.

Complica a situação a grande mobilidade do mercúrio. "Por ser um metal pesado, sofre poucas transformações. O mercúrio que vai para o rio, por exemplo, alcança grandes distâncias, até 20 quilômetros", diz Saulo.

Depois de coletado, o ouro é posto em contato com o mercúrio, que o separa de outros materiais. Em seguida, é feita a queima do amálgama (mercúrio misturado com ouro) para purificar o ouro. A contaminação ocorre nesses dois momentos, quando o mercúrio escapa para a água e para a atmosfera.

SAÚDE

No caso da saúde da população ribeirinha daquelas comunidades, a pesquisa analisou as duas principais vias de exposição ao mercúrio: pelo vapor liberado durante a queima do amálgama e pelo consumo do peixe dos rios. Isso foi feito por meio da análise de amostras de sangue, urina e cabelo.

Os sintomas nas comunidades ainda não são agudos. Mas, como o efeito da contaminação é cumulativo, deverão aparecer a longo prazo. Muitos moradores da região já reclamam: 50% relataram gosto metálico na boca, tremor e palpitação e 40% tinham sensações de formigamento, adormecimento ou ardência nas mãos e nos pés.

A doença decorrente da intoxicação de mercúrio ficou conhecida como mal de Minamata. Na década de 1950, milhares de pessoas que se alimentavam de peixes e de frutos do mar na baía de Minamata, no Japão, desenvolveram sintomas no sistema nervoso e cérebro. O mercúrio era jogado por uma indústria química num rio que desaguava no mar.

"Até hoje não há uma conclusão epidemiológica de quantas pessoas de fato foram afetadas porque os estudos realizados na época eram precários", explica o toxicologista Sergio Graff. "Mas o resultado da catástrofe foi no mínimo de 1.400 mortes."

CAMPANHA

A população do garimpo paraense ainda não sabe que aqueles são sintomas da exposição ao mercúrio. Só agora uma campanha do Cetem vai mostrar aos moradores do local os resultados da pesquisa e ensinar como extrair o ouro sem riscos. Com rimas de cordel, a campanha vai tentar recuperar o tempo perdido. Cartilhas, bonés e camisetas com as rimas serão distribuídas. Mais à frente, deverão ser entregues equipamentos mais seguros para a prospecção de ouro.

Esse projeto de conscientização ganhou uma concorrência mundial preparada pela Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) e se tornou o braço brasileiro do Projeto Mercúrio Global, cujo objetivo é diminuir a poluição por mercúrio em águas internacionais. Há iniciativas semelhantes em países como Laos, Sudão e Tanzânia.

A pesquisadora Zuleica Castilhos, coordenadora da campanha, explica por que os bonés e as camisetas de conscientização serão comprados antes dos equipamentos de segurança. "Primeiro precisamos convencer os garimpeiros de que é importante usar materiais seguros em seu trabalho. Mostraremos as vantagens e só depois forneceremos o que pode melhorar a qualidade de vida de fato. Se eles não sabem quais as vantagens, podem chegar a nem usar as novas tecnologias."

As amostras da pesquisa já foram apresentadas em Brasília a pesquisadores, a organizações não-governamentais e a representantes dos ministérios da Saúde, do Meio Ambiente, de Minas e Energia, da Educação e do Trabalho.

Segundo a pesquisadora do Cetem, a campanha também tem o objetivo de alcançar a outra ponta que move o mercado do garimpo. "Podemos atingir também o consumidor final, conscientizar as lojas de jóia e o mercado financeiro para que eles ofereçam recursos para o minerador."

Cartilha alerta garimpeiros para o perigo

RIMA: "Queimar ouro não é errado, mas o azougue vai disfarçado, vira fumaça, o bicho danado" diz uma das rimas da cartilha preparada pelo Cetem para explicar como se proteger do azougue, denominação popular do mercúrio. Com desenhos, o livreto mostra a necessidade do uso de máscaras e de um equipamento chamado retorta, que não permite que o mercúrio evaporado contamine o ambiente.

Segundo a pesquisadora Zuleica Castilhos, quando retortas são utilizadas, as perdas são muito baixas, menos de 0,05% do mercúrio. Sem o equipamento, mais de 50% do mercúrio vai para o ambiente. "Essa prática de reciclagem é um dos procedimentos fundamentais para se reduzir a sobrecarga de mercúrio n o ambiente", diz.

A verba da ONU para o Projeto Mercúrio Global é de US$ 3 milhões para 6 países. No Brasil, foram gastos US$ 130 mil. Cerca de US$ 34 mil serão para a campanha de esclarecimento. O Cetem ainda não sabe qual é o custo da fase final, mas crê que os equipamentos novo estarão listados até o fim do ano. O Cetem coordena o projeto junto com o Instituto Evandro Chagas e a Fundação Nacional de Saúde.

Claudia Ferraz

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#1140

From: "Leah S. Horowitz" <horowitz@...>
Date: Thu Oct 21, 2010 5:34 pm
Subject: RE: Re: some comments and suggestions

lsh2312

Hi John,

Thanks very much (in your recent email to me) for agreeing to open up this discussion to the listserv and sorry for taking so long to do so. I think you have some valuable ideas for how to help communities in meaningful ways, as discussed in your email below. However, I am concerned that companies often provide benefits to communities in exchange – often implicitly – for acceptance of ecological damages, rather than making a real effort to reduce those damages. The communities, such as the one I am studying (in New Caledonia, incidentally, so not too far from your PNG example below) then figure, “Well, if we’re going to suffer the ecological damages from this mine, then we may as well take what we can get.” This is often, indeed, an effective way to stifle protest. However, it is actually a smoke-and-mirrors game, a distraction from the real issue at hand, and a way for companies to evade their ecological – which is fundamentally also social – responsibility.

I’d be interested to hear what you and others think.

Best wishes,

Leah

From: Jstrongman@... [mailto:Jstrongman@...]
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 2:26 PM
To: Leah S. Horowitz
Subject: Re: [ecominerals] Re: some comments and suggestions

Hi Leah

thanks for your email - I completely agree with your point that more awareness needs to be raised of the social – and ecological – damage that companies can inflict by marginalizing one half of the community.

What to do?

For a start one can make the business case to companies that it is in their enlighted self interest to engage with community women. The company you studiied is being rather short sighted - in the long run it would serve them to recognize that responding to the concerns of local community women will provide benefits in terms of

reducing the risk of time and attention needed to resolve disagreements with the communi ty,
improving overall workforce morale and possibility also productivity ( a happier home can lead to a more productive worker)
getting better results from their community programs and
improving their reputation not only with the community but also with their shareholders.

One can also make some suggestions and give some examples - with regard to poor, remote communities, if the company is interested in a very inexpensive way to build huge good will in the community, then putting on literacy programs for adult women (pay a local NGO to do so – the company does not have to be the provider) can build tremendous good will.

Also, providing support for local subsistence agriculture (ask the farmers what is needed most – fertilizer, irrigation, guidance on new crops) and provide some of what they request, can also have a gre at influence.

For some companies, this is “thinking outside the box” – but the payoffs can be great.

Following, is a quote from a new book that will shortly be published by the World Bank on some research regarding mining and its gender impacts in Peru where companies are pouring millions of dollars into community programs

“The men came presenting projects of road construction – but the women wanted to tackle their health and nutritional priorities. Five years later after pouring money into the area of infrastructure we are seeing the same levels of unhappiness in the home: perhaps the women were right”.

That said three other points reagrding the company you studied.

First, gender-related change only comes if the men are willing as well as the women determined. This of course can be very culturally dependant. It would seem that in this case the men might be willing - but I am not sure if there is a strong women's organization to give a voice and representation to women’s views and conc erns.

Second, a good agreement poorly implement is often not as good as a poor agreement implemented in an effective and enlightened manner. So I would ask the question/ make the suggestion that in the situation you studied women can still be given a seat at the table and a role as the agreement is implemented - if the men are willing and the women are determined.

Third, there are a couple of very good examples of good practice regardin g gender issues. The Rio Tinto Gender Guide is one (do you have it) and also the OK Tedi Mine in Papua New Guinea is another - here 10% of the compensation paid to landowners goes to a fund that is specifically for women's projects. The question is whether it would be useful to cite these examples to the company you studied - would they look at these examples and say "this is interesting - maybe we should do something along these lines" or would they will say “we know what we are doing and it is fine; we do not need you to tell us what others are doing thank you."

Hope this might be useful

John

-----ecominerals@yahoogroups.com wrote: -----

To: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com
From: "Leah S. Horowitz" <horowitz@...>
Sent by: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com
Date: 10/12/2010 07:36AM
Subject: [ecominerals] Re: Cumulative Impacts and Mining - Good Practice Guide

Dear John,

Thank you for sharing your thoughts on the differential costs and benefits of mining for community men and women, which my empirical research would certainly support. I would just like to add one more difference: mining companies often negotiate only with (senior) men, thus further reinforcing this group’s power – and running counter to contemporary trends (such as education and employment opportunities) that tend to empower women.

The company I’ve been studying has recently signed a “pact” with the “community” – although all negotiations took place only with senior men, who were the only signatories, yet expected to “represent” the community. The company’s justification for this was to turn all the blame back on local “custom”, whic h has traditionally been male-dominated. However, the senior male signatories I spoke with indicated that, although they found the approach acceptable, they would not have objected had the company also negotiated with local women. Of course, the company did not want to do so because the women would have given them a much harder time – women are much less likely to benefit from employment, and more likely to suffer from the ecological and social impacts (and please note that these are always “impacts”, not just “risks”), and less interested in the prestige accorded by recognition from the company.

I just think that more awareness needs to be raised of the social – and ecological – damage that companies can inflict by marginalizing one half of the community.

Best regards,

Leah

&nbs p;

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Leah S. Horowitz, Ph.D.

Post-Doctoral Associate

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

14 College Farm Road

New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8551

USA

http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~leahh

#1141

From: "Heap, Alan " <alan.heap@...>
Date: Thu Oct 21, 2010 9:00 pm
Subject: RE: Iron ore in Brazil-Environmental permitting

alan.heap@...

Thank you Alberto.  That's most helpful.
I wonder if you are aware of any studies comparable to the UN report on hydro
projects, which relate to tailings dams?
Alan



-----Original Message-----
From: Alberto Fonseca [mailto:adfonsec@...]
Sent: Friday, 22 October 2010 1:34 AM
To: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com; Heap, Alan [ICG-CIRA]
Subject: Re: [ecominerals] Iron ore in Brazil-Environmental permitting

Hi Alan,

Brazil has about 8,500,000 km2. Water availability and environmental licensing
processes vary substantially across regions. Because you are an investor and
have said that Brazil has "plenty" of water, I am going to assume that you are
talking about the northern region (probably Para State), where the Amazon River
and its tributaries flow and where international mining investments
(particularly in iron ore) are booming.

That region is indeed blessed with water and other natural resources.
However, Brazil's environmental regulators are not naive. They have created a
licensing system (underpinned by the constitution and other key policies) that
requires socio-environmental impact assessments
(EIAs) to understand the long-term implications of using those resources.

EIAs in Brazil and elsewhere, despite many resilient problems, are getting
better in several realms: technical content, society participation/consultation,
streamlined procedures, follow-up programs, etc. As a result, investors are now
realizing that their "wonderful" projects might not get an "environmental
license" unless they allocated substantial financial, political and technical
efforts to prove that their projects are socially and environmentally viable in
the long-term. Ok, water quantity might be there, but for how long?
And how about water quality? And the implications of the related economic growth
of poorly governmed mining towns hosting those projects? And the cumulative
impacts of water usage in the region? The decision-making process is getting
more sophisticated...

A number of iron projects in northern Brazil have a legacy of serious problems.
Take a look, for example, at the social and environmental indicators of the
Brazilian Caraj�s region as a whole and of the towns and cities (e.g. Paraopeba)
hosting mining operations. In this context, EIA expectations are getting higher
and higher. The above-average studies undertaken for the Juruti Project in
northern Brazil reflect this phenomenon:

http://www.alcoa.com/brazil/en/custom_page/environment_juruti_licenciamento.asp

Anyway, having said all that, here is a World Bank summary report (in
English) addressing Brazil's environmental license process in the context of
growing demands for water resources.

http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/TOPICS/EXTWAT/0,,contentMDK:21820401~me\
nuPK:4796187~pagePK:148956~piPK:216618~theSitePK:4602123,00.html

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTWAT/Resources/4602122-1214578930250/Summar\
y_Report.pdf

Unfortunately, the full report is in Portuguese:

http://siteresources.worldbank.org/EXTWAT/Resources/4602122-1214578930250/Relato\
rio_PRINCIPAL.pdf

Hope this helps.

Cheers,

Alberto


Alberto Fonseca, PhD
Postdoctoral Fellow
University of Waterloo
Faculty of Environment
+1.647.347.1766
adfonsec@...



Quoting "Heap, Alan " <alan.heap@...>:

> Hello  ecominerals colleagues
> Last week in Brazil I was struck by the high level of environmental
> permitting challenge to new iron ore projects. The issue is water and
> affects slurry pipelines and tailings dams.
> However I'm struggling to get a broader perspective on this: what are
> the concerns, surely Brazil has plenty of water unlike here in
> Australia.
> I wonder if anyone can point me to some background (preferably in English).
> Many thanks
> Alan Heap
>
> --------------------------
> Alan Heap
> Managing Director
>  Global Commodity Analysis
> Citi Investment Research
> Tel:61282254853

Reply | Messages in this Topic (3)

#1142

From: Kevin Telmer <ktelmer@...>
Date: Thu Oct 21, 2010 10:06 pm
Subject: Re: [Zeromercury] Flashback 37 tons of mercury contaminate Para State in Brazil

ktelmer@...

Dear Zuleica,

Large mining companies do produce by-product mercury and recover it in a form that is suitable for storage or disposal. The amount is significant - at least hundreds of tonnes per year - but depends on the nature of the ores and varies from mine to mine and also from commodity to commodity. Zinc producers and Gold Producers can be large sources of by-product mercury - hundreds of tonnes per year. Some of these companies - such as Barrick Gold in Nevada and Newmont Gold in Peru (Yanacocha) do capture the mercury. They typically sell it to a mercury refinery, one example is Bethlehem Apparatus in the US, which then processes it to commodity grade mercury (high purity) and sell it on the commodity market. Buyers are chlor-alkalai plants, dentists, other types of demand, etc. but certainly some of it is purchased for one "stated" purpose but then diverted into ASM.

Best Regards,

Kevin

Dr. Kevin Telmer, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Artisanal Gold Council (www.artisanalgold.org)
Prof., SEOS, University of Victoria (www.seos.uvic.ca)
Chair, IUGS-GEM (www.iugs-gem.org)

World Emissions of Mercury from ASM: www.mercurywatch.org

2010/10/21 Zuleica Nycz <zu.terra@...>

Hi Kevin

Thanks for your comments and provoking questions that make us even more interested in the issue. It is important for us to learn more with you, Eric Uram (Sierra Club), Lars Hylander, Richard Gutierrez, Mr. Villas Bôas (Brazilian Gov.) and others who are deeply studying artisanal gold mining problems and searching for the best solutions for this terrible problem.

As Mr. Villas Boas said other day, your questions are challenging and need to be addressed. One question about the mercury recovered from tailings during re-processing reminds me other question about the mercury as a by-product of other ore mines, such as copper, iron, and maybe others. I would ask you if this info is correct and in case it is, what the great companies do with this mercury, and is the amount of this mercury significant and available for permanent storing ? (that is – is the mercury technically possible or economically feasible to be extracted from the industrial mining waste and be safely stored?).

Zuleica

De: zeromercury-bounces@... [mailto:zeromercury-bounces@...] Em nome de Kevin Telmer
Enviada em: segunda-feira, 18 de outubro de 2010 06:57
Para: Zuleica Nycz
Cc: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com; heavy-metals-wg@...; ZeroMercuryWorkingGroup
Assunto: Re: [Zeromercury] Flashback 37 tons of mercury contaminate Para State in Brazil

Thanks for the news Zuleica,

Some comments:

Indeed, in terms of the number and the magnitude of contamination - and its complexity - mercury contamination around ASM sites clearly is the most significant in the world - ten's of thousands of sites and hundreds of thousands of tonnes of mercury. Lars Hylander wrote a paper that estimated that 1,000,000 tonnes of mercury has been used in gold and silver mining in the last 500 years. So the contamination challenge is massive and touches both developing and developed countries - those with historical gold rushes for example. But from a strategic perspective, in my opinion, reducing and where feasible, eliminating current mercury use in ASGM to prevent further contamination should be one of the highest priorities. This doesn't need to be exclusive but prevention is immeasurably cheaper than clean up for mercury in ASM. In terms of remediation of ASM contaminated sites, the most feasible and economically attainable first line approach is likely to be re-processing mercury contaminated tailings to capture the mercury and get the gold. In fact this is to a small degree ongoing in Tanzania and in South America. This is practical because the mercury can be extracted by using the profits generated by recovering the gold in the tailings - which is typically abundant due to originally inefficiently practices.

Two big questions arise from this:
1. What to do with the mercury captured from the tailings during re-processing? The UNEP Waste and Storage Partnership will need to think carefully about this.

2. Reprocessing tailings for gold without considering the mercury contamination will almost certainly exacerbate the contamination problem and so the re-processing needs to be done appropriately. How can this be assured?

Best Regards,
Kevin

**
Dr. Kevin Telmer, Ph.D.
Executive Director, Artisanal Gold Council (www.artisanalgold.org)
Prof., SEOS, University of Victoria (www.seos.uvic.ca)
Chair, IUGS-GEM (www.iugs-gem.org)

World Emissions of Mercury from ASM: www.mercurywatch.org

2010/10/18 Zuleica Nycz <zu.terra@...>

Tapajos River in the Pará State (North of Brazil) may be contaminated with 37 tons of mercury.

Study reveals that soil, plants, water, fishes and communities are exposed to mercury at alarming levels.

The source of mercury is the artisanal gold mining in the last 15 years.

218 samples of vegetation collected in a local community have 2,400% of mercury above of the acceptable level. A maximum concentration (1,280ppm) was observed in a spiderweb collected in a gold store in the village.

The main ways of contamination are the evaporation of the mercury amalgamation (gold mining) and the fish consumption.

(Zuleica – Brazil)

37 t de mercúrio contaminam Pará - 12/07/2005

Local: São Paulo - SP
Fonte: O Estado de S.Paulo
Link: http://www.estado.com.br/
Pesquisa mostra que solo, plantas, água, peixes e moradores de garimpo estão expostos ao metal em níveis alarmantes

Um estudo realizado pelo Centro de Tecnologia Mineral (Cetem), instituto ligado ao Ministério da Ciência e Tecnologia, indica que os níveis de contaminação por mercúrio nos solos, nas plantas, nas águas, nos peixes e até nos moradores da Reserva Garimpeira da Bacia do Tapajós, no Pará, estão acima das concentrações máximas aceitas pela Organização Mundial da Saúde (OMS). O garimpo do Tapajós é a origem de metade de todo o ouro extraído no Brasil.

Um grupo de 23 pesquisadores do Cetem coletou em 2003 mais de mil amostras ambientais e biológicas nas pequenas comunidades de São Chico e Creporizinho, que pertencem ao município de Itaituba, no sudoeste paraense. Eles constataram que, no caso dos peixes, 60% tinham teores altíssimos de mercúrio no organismo. E estimaram em 37 toneladas o total desse metal liberado nos rios e na atmosfera nos últimos 15 anos somente nas duas comunidades.

"O objetivo do estudo era saber como os garimpeiros e a população não garimpeira estão contaminando a si próprios e o ambiente", explica Saulo Rodrigues Filho, o coordenador da pesquisa.

Os limites da Organização Mundial da Saúde foram ultrapassados também nas plantas. Na comunidade de São Chico, por exemplo, 18 amostras de vegetais chegaram a ter 2.400% do metal acima do valor aceitável. A concentração máxima de mercúrio, 1.280 partes por milhão (ppm), foi observada numa teia de aranha coletada numa loja de ouro na vila.

Complica a situação a grande mobilidade do mercúrio. "Por ser um metal pesado, sofre poucas transformações. O mercúrio que vai para o rio, por exemplo, alcança grandes distâncias, até 20 quilômetros", diz Saulo.

Depois de coletado, o ouro é posto em contato com o mercúrio, que o separa de outros materiais. Em seguida, é feita a queima do amálgama (mercúrio misturado com ouro) para purificar o ouro. A contaminação ocorre nesses dois momentos, quando o mercúrio escapa para a água e para a atmosfera.

SAÚDE
No caso da saúde da população ribeirinha daquelas comunidades, a pesquisa analisou as duas principais vias de exposição ao mercúrio: pelo vapor liberado durante a queima do amálgama e pelo consumo do peixe dos rios. Isso foi feito por meio da análise de amostras de sangue, urina e cabelo.

Os sintomas nas comunidades ainda não são agudos. Mas, como o efeito da contaminação é cumulativo, deverão aparecer a longo prazo. Muitos moradores da região já reclamam: 50% relataram gosto metálico na boca, tremor e palpitação e 40% tinham sensações de formigamento, adormecimento ou ardência nas mãos e nos pés.

A doença decorrente da intoxicação de mercúrio ficou conhecida como mal de Minamata. Na década de 1950, milhares de pessoas que se alimentavam de peixes e de frutos do mar na baía de Minamata, no Japão, desenvolveram sintomas no sistema nervoso e cérebro. O mercúrio era jogado por uma indústria química num rio que desaguava no mar.

"Até hoje não há uma conclusão epidemiológica de quantas pessoas de fato foram afetadas porque os estudos realizados na época eram precários", explica o toxicologista Sergio Graff. "Mas o resultado da catástrofe foi no mínimo de 1.400 mortes."

CAMPANHA
A população do garimpo paraense ainda não sabe que aqueles são sintomas da exposição ao mercúrio. Só agora uma campanha do Cetem vai mostrar aos moradores do local os resultados da pesquisa e ensinar como extrair o ouro sem riscos. Com rimas de cordel, a campanha vai tentar recuperar o tempo perdido. Cartilhas, bonés e camisetas com as rimas serão distribuídas. Mais à frente, deverão ser entregues equipamentos mais seguros para a prospecção de ouro.

Esse projeto de conscientização ganhou uma concorrência mundial preparada pela Organização das Nações Unidas (ONU) e se tornou o braço brasileiro do Projeto Mercúrio Global, cujo objetivo é diminuir a poluição por mercúrio em águas internacionais. Há iniciativas semelhantes em países como Laos, Sudão e Tanzânia.

A pesquisadora Zuleica Castilhos, coordenadora da campanha, explica por que os bonés e as camisetas de conscientização serão comprados antes dos equipamentos de segurança. "Primeiro precisamos convencer os garimpeiros de que é importante usar materiais seguros em seu trabalho. Mostraremos as vantagens e só depois forneceremos o que pode melhorar a qualidade de vida de fato. Se eles não sabem quais as vantagens, podem chegar a nem usar as novas tecnologias."

As amostras da pesquisa já foram apresentadas em Brasília a pesquisadores, a organizações não-governamentais e a representantes dos ministérios da Saúde, do Meio Ambiente, de Minas e Energia, da Educação e do Trabalho.

Segundo a pesquisadora do Cetem, a campanha também tem o objetivo de alcançar a outra ponta que move o mercado do garimpo. "Podemos atingir também o consumidor final, conscientizar as lojas de jóia e o mercado financeiro para que eles ofereçam recursos para o minerador."

Cartilha alerta garimpeiros para o perigo
RIMA: "Queimar ouro não é errado, mas o azougue vai disfarçado, vira fumaça, o bicho danado" diz uma das rimas da cartilha preparada pelo Cetem para explicar como se proteger do azougue, denominação popular do mercúrio. Com desenhos, o livreto mostra a necessidade do uso de máscaras e de um equipamento chamado retorta, que não permite que o mercúrio evaporado contamine o ambiente.

Segundo a pesquisadora Zuleica Castilhos, quando retortas são utilizadas, as perdas são muito baixas, menos de 0,05% do mercúrio. Sem o equipamento, mais de 50% do mercúrio vai para o ambiente. "Essa prática de reciclagem é um dos procedimentos fundamentais para se reduzir a sobrecarga de mercúrio n o ambiente", diz.

A verba da ONU para o Projeto Mercúrio Global é de US$ 3 milhões para 6 países. No Brasil, foram gastos US$ 130 mil. Cerca de US$ 34 mil serão para a campanha de esclarecimento. O Cetem ainda não sabe qual é o custo da fase final, mas crê que os equipamentos novo estarão listados até o fim do ano. O Cetem coordena o projeto junto com o Instituto Evandro Chagas e a Fundação Nacional de Saúde.

Claudia Ferraz

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#1143

From: "Saleem H. Ali" <Saleem.Ali@...>
Date: Fri Oct 22, 2010 12:19 pm
Subject: Gas pipeline in the Rockies

Saleem.Ali@...

Construction Begins on Pipeline to Bring Rocky Mountain Gas to West
Coast; Legal Challenges Linger

By Adam Orford, Marten Law Firm

October 22, 2010

Ground has been broken on the Ruby Pipeline, a project that will connect
a natural gas hub in southwest Wyoming to another on the
California-Oregon border. The $3 billion project will carry 1.5 billion
cubic feet of gas per day from Rocky Mountain fields to West Coast
consumers. Major permitting for the project was completed in four years,
in part by negotiating mitigation directly with wildlife conservation
groups. The line was also touted as the first "carbon neutral" gas
pipeline - with FERC approval for recovery of carbon mitigation costs.
But these measures have not prevented legal challenges to the project.
Other environmental groups, as well as western communities unhappy with
the financial support given to anti-grazing interests, have stepped in.
For these and other reasons, Ruby is shaping up to be an interesting and
important case study in infrastructure permitting in the arid West.

Full article can be accessed at:

http://www.martenlaw.com/newsletter/20101022-rocky-mountain-pipeline


--------------------------------------------
Saleem H. Ali, Ph.D.
Professor of Environmental Planning and Asian Studies
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
University of Vermont,
153 S. Prospect St.
Burlington VT 05401, USA
--------------------------------------------
Email: saleem@...
Ph: 802-656-0173
Fx: 802-656-8015
--------------------------------------------
Web:  http://www.saleemali.net
--------------------------------------------

#1144

From: "Jean-Claude" <jcmichelou@...>
Date: Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:59 pm
Subject: Colombian Mining authorities put order in tthe house

jcmichelou

48 Illegal Mines Shuttered in Colombia in Past 3 Months

Herald Tribune Latin America

BOGOTA �" Forty-eight illegal mines have been closed down in Colombia since
August, 18 of them in “the last few hours,” Environment Minister Beatriz
Uribe said, adding that two of the helicopters used in these operations have
been seized.

According to a communique from that ministry, in the last few hours 18 illegal
mines were closed that had been operating in the northwestern province of
Antioquia and the northern province of Cordoba.

In the latest operations, authorities nabbed 17 people who were mining gold
without permits.

In Operation Shield, authorities also confiscated 600 gallons of fuel, 24 small
trucks, two large trucks and the two helicopters.

“Today we propose going beyond the innocuous debate on whether to safeguard
the environment and whether to allow mining activities. We want to ensure the
conservation of our natural surroundings and the quality of the environment by
allowing mining that is ecologically responsible,” the minister said.

She recalled that since President Juan Manuel Santos took office on Aug. 7,
operations against illegal mining have resulted in the closure of 48 mines.

Seized during these operations were 101 backhoes, nine dredgers, three
bulldozers, 32 pumps, three motors, two firearms, 2,210 gallons of diesel fuel,
102 kilos (225 pounds) of mercury, a freight elevator and an electricity
generating plant.

Uribe also said that her ministry has detected illegal mining in the provinces
of Antioquia, Amazonas, Bolivar, Cauca, Caldas, Cesar, Choco, Cordoba, Huila,
Nariño, Putumayo, Risaralda, Santander, Tolima, Valle del Cauca, Vichada and
Vaupes.

“The big challenge is to make sure that the mining sector is in fact the
driving force of the economy that we all want and that it becomes an ally in
achieving our environmental-policy goals,” Uribe said.

She said the Colombian government will review the 571 mining permits covering
close to 203,000 hectares (501,000 acres) that have been granted in areas where,
according to existing law, operations of this kind are banned.

She asked Colombia’s Geology and Mining Institute to study the mining rights
granted in areas that, according to the new Mining Code, are excluded from this
activity, such as national parks, upland moors, wetlands and forest reserves.

#1145

From: Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt <Kuntala.lahiri-dutt@...>
Date: Sat Oct 23, 2010 10:08 am
Subject: Mining History Conference

Kuntala.lahiri-dutt@...

Invitation to present a paper to the ninth International Mining History Congress

To be held in Johannesburg, 15-18 August 2011

The International Mining History Congress brings together practitioners of mining history in all of its forms to exchange recent research findings. Papers are invited from academics, amateur historians, former and present employees of the mining industry, government officials, and conservationists, archivists and curators.

This is the first congress to be held in Africa, and we are delighted that South Africa has been invited to host the event. The world is increasingly dependent on the continent�s mining industry, with South Africa being the biggest producer of platinum and a major player in the mining of coal, iron and other minerals. Africa has a long history of mining, one that, especially in the case of diamonds and gold, had considerable impact on the world�s economy, engineering and labour relations. From its pre-colonial past to its post-colonial present, African mining has departed from practices elsewhere, whilst also sharing much that is common. This combination of the unique and the universal will contribute to the character and success of the congress. The event itself will be held in Johannesburg, the City of Gold, close to both Rustenburg, our Platinum City, and also the Cradle of Humankind. As with any South African conference, it will provide excellent opportunities for study tours and conventional tourism, as well as intellectual stimulation.

Themes considered by the conference will include:

Mining and the environment
Finance, ownership and development of the mining industry
Small-scale and illegal mining
Women in mining
Advancing the history of geology
Mining memoirs
Experiences of mine work and managing mines
Society, politics and the regulation and planning of mining
Engineers, technology and mining
Mining�s labour and cultural history
Changing investment patterns in mining
Health and safety in mining
Mining archaeology
Preserving and popularising mining history
Mining in decline
Mining and community development.

Papers and presentations maybe scientific or experiential, and there are no rules about their length. Selection will be on the basis of merit. For consideration, please provide a 300 word proposal and a 50 word biographical note. The organisers also welcome proposals for panels on any of the above themes. A few bursaries will be available for students. Proposals should be sent to IMHC@... no later than 10 January 2011.

The local organising committee includes representation from University of Johannesburg, University of the Witwatersrand, Chamber of Mines, National Union of Mine Workers, Association of Mine Managers of South Africa, TEBA Development, Geological Society of South Africa, Centre for Sustainability in Mining, and Southern African Institute of Mining and Metallurgy.

---
Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt
Fellow, Resource Management in Asia Pacific Program
Crawford School of Economics and Government
ANU College of Asia and the Pacific
The Australian National University
ACT 0200, Australia
Tel: +61 2 6125 4343; +61 409158145
Fax +61 2 6125 1635
URLs: http://rspas.anu.edu.au/people/personal/lahik_rmap.php
http://asmasiapacific.org http://empoweringcommunities.anu.edu.au
http://rspas.anu.edu.au/gwn
Convenor, Graduate Studies, RMAP
Member, Editorial Board, ACME, International Journal of Critical Geographies

#1146

From: "Saleem H. Ali" <Saleem.Ali@...>
Date: Sun Oct 24, 2010 12:49 am
Subject: Lafarge mining in India and Bangladesh

Saleem.Ali@...

From The Press Trust of India / New Delhi October 21, 2010, 21:26 IST

The Supreme Court will commence hearing tomorrow on the crucial issue of
allowing French cement giant Lafarge to carry out mining activities in
the hills of Meghalaya for its plant in Bangladesh.

The hearing assumes importance as two villages of east Khasi districts
have locked horns with each other on the issue with residents of
Nongtrai supporting the mining of limestone, while villagers of Shella
opposing the revised environmental clearance given by the Centre.

The Nongtrai Dorbar (Panchayat) has opposed the contention of Shella
Village Action Committee, which has sought cancellation of the
environmental clearance given by the Ministry of Forest and Environment
(MoEF) to Lafarge.

The Nongtrai Panchayat has alleged the Shella Village Action Committee,
which claims to represent the Shella villagers, has no rights over the
100 acre mines as it falls under the jurisdiction of Nongtrai Dorbar.

They further contended that the livelihood of the 238 households of the
village is mostly on basic cultivation and Lafarge has reversed the
situation by granting employment opportunity and brought prosperity.

In its 39-page-long affidavit, the panchayat claimed that till December
2009 the village had received about Rs 3.15 crore and this amount was
distributed equally among all the families with each household receiving
about Rs 1.4 lakh each.

The villagers also claimed that there was not any adverse impact on
their health due to constant mining of the limestone in their surroundings.

However, residents of Shella village challenged the revised
environmental clearance to Lafarge's mining project contending that MoEF
has flouted norms in favour of the French firm.

The villagers alleged that MoEF violated Environment Impact Assessment
(EIA) rules, as there was no scope for revised clearance for the project
when the company had concealed information earlier.

"There is no scope of granting a revised environmental clearance under
the scheme of EIA notification once the project is found to have
obtained environmental clearance by concealing information or submitting
false information," the Shella Action Committee said in the application.

The committee has sought a direction from the apex court rejecting the
revised environmental clearance given to Lafarge on April 19, 2010, and
April 22, 2010. The committee said the revised clearance given by the
MoEF was against the EIA rules.



--------------------------------------------
Saleem H. Ali, Ph.D.
Professor of Environmental Planning and Asian Studies
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
University of Vermont,
153 S. Prospect St.
Burlington VT 05401, USA
--------------------------------------------
Email: saleem@...
Ph: 802-656-0173
Fx: 802-656-8015
--------------------------------------------
Web:  http://www.saleemali.net

Blog: http://saleemali.newsvine.com

New book: http://www.treasurebook.info
--------------------------------------------

#1147

From: "Catherine Coumans" <catherine@...>
Date: Sun Oct 24, 2010 12:57 am
Subject: RE: Re: some comments and suggestions

catherine@...

Leah has hit the nail on the head and addressed the 1000 pound gorilla in the room. As the WB, ICMM, national governments of mining exporting countries such as Canada are increasingly trying to address community conflict and opposition to mining and the problem of the "social license to operate" by emphasizing mining's local level development potential, they are ignoring community voices that are very clear that they do not see development, or at least the development they seek for themselves, to come from mining. It is only because there is no free prior and informed consent and mining is essentially imposed upon these communities that they revert to seeking whatever benefits they can get. I have had this put to me in exactly these terms over and over again by desperate community activists. This needs to be openly acknowledged. Furthermore, the development argument is far from persuasive, not only to many community members, but also to many others such as myself! As long as the loss of natural capital is not accounted for, as long as the loss of alternative sustainable livelihoods that rely on clean rivers and aquifers is not accounted for, as long as the development impacts related to dislocation, local level economic distortions, in-migration, are not costed out, as long as the long-term costs of perpetual care and maintenance of waste dumps is not factored in, etc. etc, the local level development argument is not persuasive. There should be a development impact assessment for each project that takes all these things into account as well as the type of development communities seek for themselves.

Catherine

From: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ecominerals@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Leah S. Horowitz
Sent: October-21-10 1:34 PM
To: Jstrongman@...
Cc: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [ecominerals] Re: some comments and suggestions

Hi John,

I’d be interested to hear what you and others think.

Best wishes,

Leah

From: Jstrongman@... [mailto:Jstrongman@...]
Sent: Thursday, October 14, 2010 2:26 PM
To: Leah S. Horowitz
Subject: Re: [ecominerals] Re: some comments and suggestions

Hi Leah

What to do?

reducing the risk of time and attention needed to resolve disagreements with the communi ty,
improving overall workforce morale and possibility also productivity ( a happier home can lead to a more productive worker)
getting better results from their community programs and
improving their reputation not only with the community but also with their shareholders.

For some companies, this is “thinking outside the box” – but the payoffs can be great.

That said three other points reagrding the company you studied.

Hope this might be useful

John

-----ecominerals@yahoogroups.com wrote: -----

Dear John,

I just think that more awareness needs to be raised of the social – and ecological – damage that companies can inflict by marginalizing one half of the community.

Best regards,

Leah

&nbs p;

* * * * * * * * * * * * *

Leah S. Horowitz, Ph.D.

Post-Doctoral Associate

Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey

14 College Farm Road

New Brunswick, NJ 08901-8551

USA

http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~leahh

#1148

From: Geoff Nettleton <geoff@...>
Date: Mon Oct 25, 2010 1:30 am
Subject: Re: Lafarge mining in India and Bangladesh

geoff@...

Dear Saleem
Thanks for this.
Of course realities are diverse and motivations complex- hence why some communities-especially poor ones - may decide to take an optimistic view of mining development that weighs more strongly the hoped for job creation and promised prosperity while a group of farmers who's land is to be sacrificed and whose skills and livelihood opportunities are to be marginalised would normally take an opposite view.

Hard up hard pressed governments of course often tend to the view that a regular even if small number of tax paying workers, plus the presence of a (sometimes) tax paying corporation offer more attractions than the concerns of even a large number of often poor and marginal farmers who may not contribute much to government coffers.

But one feature of your report is more clear cut and somewhat contradicted by other experiences. It concerns health. I guess this may all be a matter of distance and wind direction but.for what it is worth.......
In Iligan Southern Philippines both LaFarge and Holcim have large mining and cement production operations. The communities most adjacent to their plants have a clear and sustained record of the highest levels of respiratory and eye problems within the Iligan area-despite being in an area with relatively high income and social service provision. Such effects however may take quite a long time to manifest and do depend on good health monitoring systems. The communities referred to here fall within the City of Iligan and so more detailed statistics are available than might be for an isolated rural zone. In addition the remnants of the Maranao community on whose land the LaFarge mine was originally developed and who long continued and continue toboccupy their ancestral land and try and live and farm within the LaFarge compound report that the dust generated both by mining and cement production has a seriously negative effect on certain types of farming. They report that coconuts with largely upward facing flowers and growing tip suffer significantly reduced fruiting and rotting- locals assert due to clogging of flowers with dust. While Bananas whose flowers hang down and are therefore less choked and affected by dust remain more productive.

Past medical researches in South Wales also pointed to living near coal mines and coal washing facilities as the probable cause of clusters of heightened levels of respiratory ailments-particularly among children .

Now cement dust and vehicular exhaust particulates are solids and do mostly drop from the air in a circle around the source. However it may also be that health affects and impacts on agriculture might just take longer to manifest.? or poor people are forced as so often to turn a blind eye to long term health impacts upon them in favour of immediate solutions to current and immediate economic problems.

Geoff Nettleton
Indigenous Peoples Links

Saleem H. Ali wrote:

>From The Press Trust of India / New Delhi October 21, 2010, 21:26 IST

The Supreme Court will commence hearing tomorrow on the crucial issue of
allowing French cement giant Lafarge to carry out mining activities in
the hills of Meghalaya for its plant in Bangladesh.

The hearing assumes importance as two villages of east Khasi districts
have locked horns with each other on the issue with residents of
Nongtrai supporting the mining of limestone, while villagers of Shella
opposing the revised environmental clearance given by the Centre.

The Nongtrai Dorbar (Panchayat) has opposed the contention of Shella
Village Action Committee, which has sought cancellation of the
environmental clearance given by the Ministry of Forest and Environment
(MoEF) to Lafarge.

The Nongtrai Panchayat has alleged the Shella Village Action Committee,
which claims to represent the Shella villagers, has no rights over the
100 acre mines as it falls under the jurisdiction of Nongtrai Dorbar.

They further contended that the livelihood of the 238 households of the
village is mostly on basic cultivation and Lafarge has reversed the
situation by granting employment opportunity and brought prosperity.

In its 39-page-long affidavit, the panchayat claimed that till December
2009 the village had received about Rs 3.15 crore and this amount was
distributed equally among all the families with each household receiving
about Rs 1.4 lakh each.

The villagers also claimed that there was not any adverse impact on
their health due to constant mining of the limestone in their surroundings.

However, residents of Shella village challenged the revised
environmental clearance to Lafarge's mining project contending that MoEF
has flouted norms in favour of the French firm.

The villagers alleged that MoEF violated Environment Impact Assessment
(EIA) rules, as there was no scope for revised clearance for the project
when the company had concealed information earlier.

"There is no scope of granting a revised environmental clearance under
the scheme of EIA notification once the project is found to have
obtained environmental clearance by concealing information or submitting
false information," the Shella Action Committee said in the application.

The committee has sought a direction from the apex court rejecting the
revised environmental clearance given to Lafarge on April 19, 2010, and
April 22, 2010. The committee said the revised clearance given by the
MoEF was against the EIA rules.

--------------------------------------------
Saleem H. Ali, Ph.D.
Professor of Environmental Planning and Asian Studies
Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources
University of Vermont,
153 S. Prospect St.
Burlington VT 05401, USA
--------------------------------------------
Email: saleem@...
Ph: 802-656-0173
Fx: 802-656-8015
--------------------------------------------
Web: http://www.saleemali.net

Blog: http://saleemali.newsvine.com

New book: http://www.treasurebook.info
--------------------------------------------
No virus found in this incoming message.
Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 9.0.862 / Virus Database: 271.1.1/3215 - Release Date: 10/24/10 02:34:00

#1149

From: Sochenda Mong <sochenda.mong@...>
Date: Mon Oct 25, 2010 2:09 am
Subject: RE: Cumulative Impacts and Mining - Good Practice Guide

sochenda.mong@...

Dear Daniel and John,

Thanks for bringing the discussion regarding the impact of mining on local communities especially women. My name is Sochenda Mong and I am currently working at UNDP Cambodia.

Recently, UNDP Cambodia published a policy brief on “Mainstreaming Gender in the Extractive Industries: Lessons for Cambodia”. Cambodia is presently at the early stages of developing its EI sector, and the aim of the brief is to draw on international best practices to identify general recommendations to support and mainstream gender equality when developing a strategy for Cambodia’s EI sector. The report can be viewed at the following link http://www.un.org.kh/undp/knowledge/publications/mainstreaming-gender-in-extractive-industries .

Best regards,

Sochenda

From: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com [mailto:ecominerals@yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of Daniel Franks
Sent: Tuesday, October 12, 2010 7:12 AM
To: Jstrongman@...
Cc: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com
Subject: RE: [ecominerals] Cumulative Impacts and Mining - Good Practice Guide

Thanks John for your thoughtful email about an important subject.

I am glad that you find the guide a useful resource.

The part of the guide you refer to (Section 4.2) discusses the opportunities for multiple resource companies to coordinate their community engagement to gain a regional perspective – and suggests that the make up of the community consultative committees set up by the industry be broadened to enhance their representation.

In Australian coal mining communities (the focus of the guide) women are not currently under-represented in the local community consultative committees set up by the mining industry or indeed more generally in local community organisations. I re-confirmed my perception of this again this morning with a half a dozen colleagues who work directly with mining consultative committees in New South Wales and Queensland. The split is actually about 60%/40% in favour of women.

Perhaps this is an area that is specific to the Australian resource community context and which is not transferable internationally.

Kind regards,

daniel

From: Jstrongman@... [mailto:Jstrongman@...]
Sent: Tuesday, 12 October 2010 2:08 AM
To: Daniel Franks
Cc: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com
Subject: Re: [ecominerals] Cumulative Impacts and Mining - Good Practice Guide

Daniel

Thank you for bringing this very useful guide to the attention of the ecominerals community

Those who know me or who have followed my inputs to ecominerals know that the cumulative impact of mining on women in local communities is an important issue for me.

The reason is that several years ago I had come to the conclusion that we had reached a point in our work in mining at the World Bank where our advice would result in overall positive outcomes for communities affected by mining i.e. that the benefits would more than outweigh the harm.

Then I made a rather unpleasant discovery - the distribution of benefits and risks within a community is highly skewed - there are big winners and losers. The vast majority of the benefits (which are mostly employment and income in its many forms) go to men, whereas the risks (which include social, environmental, economic and cultural) fall largely on women and the families they care for.

Like it or not, all too often the arrival of mining in remote communities creates a profound shift in the power structure of the community - instead of largely equal status in the home and the community, the status of the men increases because they now have well paying jobs outside the home and cash in their pockets whereas the status of the women is diminished because they are the ones who have to stay at home and suddenly become almost completely dependant on the man's income for the family budgets – instead of having shared incomes.

With that discovery, I have now become a champion for a recognition that this distributional bias exists and for actions to improve the situation - which can range from consulting with women's groups to undertaking community programs and initiatives that are specifically focused on improving women's economic and social empowerment and well being.

Gender is a key theme for the World Bank Group and we have an Extractive Industries and Gender section on the World Bank website - but it remains a struggle to get the impacts on community women into the forefront of some of the World Bank Group’s guidelines as well as guidelines prepared by other groups. The one very bright spot has been Rio Tinto's publication (which is available on their website) on “Why Gender Matters” which was authored by Deanna Kemp and colleagues at SMI's Centre for Social Responsibility.

With regard to your report - one very specific point. In Section 4.2 on Coordinated Community Engagement the report suggests

Representation from groups such as youth and aged organisations, local business, tourism, health, welfare, policing and education in addition to environment, government and community groups, would help to ensure a broad range of issues are covered

What caught my attention here is that this is the one place where women's groups could (and for me should) have been mentioned - but are not.

The question I have is whether

The cumulative impacts of mining on community women simply did not show up on your radar as something important to be considered - so women’s groups are not mentioned in section 4.2 or elsewhere in the report; or
The cumulative impacts of mining on community women did come into your thinking but you did not consider the impacts sufficiently important enough for a mention of women in section 4.2 or elsewhere in the report; or
You considered that the average reader would be sufficiently aware of the different cumulative impacts for women and men so that it is just sufficient to mention "community" without further disaggregation

I would very much apprecaite any thoughts you could offer here - which would help me as I look at ways in which I can be more effective at bringing attention to the distribution of mining's benefits and risks between women and men within local communities

thank you

John Strongman

-----ecominerals@yahoogroups.com wrote: -----

To: <ecominerals@yahoogroups.com>
From: Daniel Franks <d.franks@...>
Sent by: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com
Date: 10/10/2010 08:51PM
Subject: [ecominerals] Cumulative Impacts and Mining - Good Practice Guide

Dear Colleagues,

The issue of cumulative impacts has been receiving a great deal of attention in many Australian (and international) mining regions.

The Sustainable Minerals Institute, at the University of Queensland, has been researching in this area since 2004 and this work has now culminated in the production of a Good Practice Guide.

The guide provides a practical resource to assist companies and governments assess, manage and monitor the cumulative social, economic and environmental impacts of large-scale mining at the local and regional scale. The guide will also be relevant for civil society groups and local communities experiencing mining impacts.

The guide can be downloaded at: http://www.csrm.uq.edu.au/docs/CSRM%20SMI%20Good%20Practice%20Guide%20document%20LR.PDF

Sincerely

Dr Daniel Franks

Research Fellow

Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining (CSRM)
Sustainable Minerals Institute

The University of Queensland

St Lucia, Brisbane, Australia, 4072

E: D.Franks@...

W: www.crsm.uq.edu.au

T: +(61 7) 3346 3164

M: 0401451454

CRICOS Provider Code: 00025B

Reply | Messages in this Topic (8)

#1150

From: "Mr. Shefa Siegel" <shefayo@...>
Date: Mon Oct 25, 2010 3:46 pm
Subject: Canada, Bill C-300, Debate and Vote

shefasiegel

Participants in this group may be interested in following the process of Canada’s Responsible Mining bill, which is scheduled for debate in the House of Commons on Tuesday and a vote on Wednesday. The vote is expected to be very close.

I have an article about the bill posted this morning in the Canadian online magazine, The Mark.

http://www.themarknews.com/articles/2865-bill-c-300-is-mining-for-change

For more background on the subject, and for any last minute efforts to support the bill, Catherine Coumans has already pointed people towards materials on MiningWatch Canada’s website.

www.miningwatch.ca/en/urgent-action-support-legislation-hold-canadian-mining-companies-account-abuses-overseas

Respectfully,

Shefa Siegel

International Project Manager
U.S. Department of State Andean Mining Project
Associate Faculty
School of Environment & Sustainability
Royal Roads University

#1151

From: "John J.Leigh" <leigh@...>
Date: Wed Oct 27, 2010 2:11 am
Subject: Biodiversity, Gold and Devastation

leigh@...

While in Spanish, some of you might be interested in this blog on Biodiversity, Gold and Devastation in Peru.

The link comes from Reden Suarez Gonzales [reden1015@...] and he can be contacted via this address.

Regards,

John Leigh

Somos un grupo de estudiantes de la Maestr�a de Conservaci�n de Recursos Forestales de la Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina. Elaboramos este blog con la finalidad de dar a conocer la grave problem�tica de la miner�a informal en el Per�, aclarar las diversas confusiones que se generan sobre el tema y provocar cuestionamiento y discusi�n con todos los interesados. Consideramos que la posibilidad de interacci�n que ofrece este medio puede ser de gran ayuda para forjar en forma conjunta mayor conciencia sobre el tema. Los invitamos a leer y comentar los temas publicados. De antemano agradecemos su participaci�n. El equipo

Visite: http://biodiversidadoroydevastacion.blogspot.com/

#1152

From: Michael Katz <M.Katz@...>
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2010 6:10 am
Subject: UN Commission on Sustainable Development

M.Katz@...

Ecomineralogists

The UN CSD report has mining as one of the themes.

Mike Katz, Consultant

139 Darley Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia

Telephone 61 2 9398 2696

1 of 1 File(s)

CSD_report[2].pdf

#1153

From: "Shields,Deborah" <Deborah.Shields@...>
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2010 1:32 pm
Subject: RE: UN Commission on Sustainable Development [1 Attachment]

Deborah.Shields@...

Dear Colleagues,
During CSD 18 and 19, 5 themes are being addressed: mining, waste management,
chemicals, transport, and sustainable production and consumption. At CSD 18
(2010), progress or lack thereof,  toward the goals set at WSSD (2002) were
reported for each of the 5 thematic areas.  The meeting was attended by Member
Nations and Major Group delegates.  The report of the meeting has been
circulated by Michael Katz.  Member nations and Major Groups are now writing
their responses to the report. These responses will be taken into consideration
during the CSD 19 Planning Meeting in February, during which proposals for
mineral policies (including potentially standards or int'l law) and goals
related to the 5 thematic areas will be discussed. The outputs of the Planning
Meeting will form the basis for debate and voting at CSD 19.

The minerals sector was represented at this meeting. ICMM participated as a
member of the Industry Major Group and also was part of the Learning Center
event put on by the Intergovernmental Forum on Mining, Minerals, Metals and
Sustainable Development. (http://www.globaldialogue.info). I represented
SME/AIME in the Scientific and Technological Community Major Group.

The outcomes of CSD 19 have the potential to significantly impact the minerals
sector and I urge ecominerals members to contribute to the ongoing discussions
and share their views.

Deborah


Deborah J. Shields, PhD
Affiliated Faculty, Dept. of Economics
Colorado State University
Fort Collins, CO USA
Tel +1 970 692 4999, FAX +1 970 207 1024
Deborah.Shields@...<mailto:Deborah.Shields@...>

Visiting Professor of Resource and Environmental Economics
Dept. of Land, Environment and Geoengineering
Politecnico di Torino
Torino, IT
In Europe: +39 388 188 0052
Deborah.Shields@...<mailto:Deborah.Shields@...>

________________________________
From: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com [ecominerals@yahoogroups.com] on behalf of
Michael Katz [M.Katz@...]
Sent: Thursday, October 28, 2010 12:10 AM
To: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ecominerals] UN Commission on Sustainable Development [1 Attachment]


[Attachment(s) from Michael Katz included below]

Ecomineralogists

The UN CSD report has mining as one of the themes.

Mike Katz, Consultant
139 Darley Road, Randwick, NSW, 2031, Australia
Telephone 61 2 9398 2696

#1154

From: Bill Gallagher <bill@...>
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2010 2:18 pm
Subject: Brazil gem mines suggestions?

bill@...

I'm considering a first trip to Brazil to scout interesting ecologically managed
gem sources (semiprecious) and learn for our fashion jewelry line. Ideas and
suggestions?

Sent via handheld computer. Please excuse my brevity, spelling and grammar!
-

Bill Gallagher
Lori Bonn Design, Inc.
114 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607
510-286-8181 main * 510-409-4089
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting��������������510-409-4089������end_of_the_skype_\
highlighting
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting��������������510-409-4089������end_of_the_skype_\
highlighting cell * 510-217-9313 fax
bill@...
www.loribonn.com

#1155

From: Shawn Blore <sb@...>
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:37 pm
Subject: Re: Brazil gem mines suggestions?

shawn.blore

There's a diamond mining cooperative in Coromandel, Minas Gerais, that
produces gem quality stones, in ways that would meet the fair trade or
ethical trade standards. The coop is interested in finding buyers
abroad, and has the legal right to export.  If you're interested,
contact me off list and I can provide contact details.

Best
Shawn Blore
sb@...

On 28-Oct-10, at 12:18 PM, Bill Gallagher wrote:

> I'm considering a first trip to Brazil to scout interesting
> ecologically managed gem sources (semiprecious) and learn for our
> fashion jewelry line. Ideas and suggestions?
>
> Sent via handheld computer. Please excuse my brevity, spelling and
> grammar!
> -
>
> Bill Gallagher
> Lori Bonn Design, Inc.
> 114 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607
> 510-286-8181 main * 510-409-4089
> begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              510-409-4089
> end_of_the_skype_highlighting
> begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              510-409-4089
> end_of_the_skype_highlighting cell * 510-217-9313 fax
> bill@...
> www.loribonn.com
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------------
>
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
>
>
>

Shawn Blore
sb@...
www.shawnblore.com
Tel: 55-21-8102-4706

#1156

From: JOE MENZIE <joemenzie@...>
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2010 3:38 pm
Subject: Re: Brazil gem mines suggestions?

joemenzie@...

if you would really like to learn and see what Brazil has established with the help of government rules and regulations -- consider making the trip during the International Colored Gemstone Associations 2011 Congress -- they will conduct mine tour trips in the north and south

to learn more go to the ICA website ----� www.gemstone.org

Joe Menzie
Past ICA President

On Thu, Oct 28, 2010 at 10:18 AM, Bill Gallagher <bill@...> wrote:

I'm considering a first trip to Brazil to scout interesting ecologically managed gem sources (semiprecious) and learn for our fashion jewelry line. Ideas and suggestions?

Sent via handheld computer. Please excuse my brevity, spelling and grammar!
-

Bill Gallagher
Lori Bonn Design, Inc.
114 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607
510-286-8181 main * 510-409-4089 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting��510-409-4089��end_of_the_skype_highlighting begin_of_the_skype_highlighting��510-409-4089��end_of_the_skype_highlighting cell * 510-217-9313 fax
bill@...
www.loribonn.com

------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
� �http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ecominerals/

<*> Your email settings:
� �Individual Email | Traditional

<*> To change settings online go to:
� �http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ecominerals/join
� �(Yahoo! ID required)

<*> To change settings via email:
� �ecominerals-digest@yahoogroups.com
� �ecominerals-fullfeatured@yahoogroups.com

<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
� �ecominerals-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
� �http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/

--
Joe Menzie
Joseph M Menzie Inc
608 5th Ave Suite # 609
NYC, NY 10020
212 382 1200 - 800 899 1818
Fax� 212 957 0534
Cell� 917 703 3039

#1157

From: jcmichelou@...
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2010 4:59 pm
Subject: Re: Brazil gem mines suggestions?

jcmichelou@...

Bill,

As you may know, the forthcoming. International Colored Gemstone Association -
ICA- conference  will be held in Rio de Janeiro,  Brazil Apr 30 to may 5th.
The congress topic is : Ethical mining and Fair trade : Certification Challenges
from Mine to Market.
The subject that interest you at the moment will be covered widely at during the
congress with the participation and presentations of prominent experts and
organizations related to the subject. There will be an 8 days  mine tour 
Following the congress that will take the participants to special gemstone 
mining areas and mines.

ICA membership in Brazil regroup gemstone miners and companies. Some of them are
already working very hard on ethical miming and ecological conservation are 
getting closer  to excellence.
There has not been much communication from ICA on this yet, except in
international conferences where you may not have been.
If you are interested in visiting colored  gemstone mines active in this
process, please contact me directly at jcmichelou@...  I will then  refer
you to our Brazilian members of the Ethicalgemstones committee  involved in this
areas ( some also miners) in order to  follow up with appropriate contacts and
arrange the corresponding visits.
For your reference, we published an article on the Capao's imperial topaz mine
in our last summer Incolor issue that you can find online at :
http://openpub.realread.com/rrserver/browser?title=/ICA_001/INCOLOR_Summer2010

Also for the Gemtrade Industry and Laboratory Conference, GILC will be held
again this year in Tucson on Jan 31  at the Marriott University  and Ethical
mining, fair trade and certification will also be addressed there at this time

Regards

Jean claude Michelou
ICA Vice President
Chairman Ethical gemstones and mining  committee

Sent from my BlackBerry wireless device from MTN

-----Original Message-----
From: Bill Gallagher <bill@...>
Sender: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com
Date: Thu, 28 Oct 2010 07:18:10
To: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com<ecominerals@yahoogroups.com>
Reply-To: ecominerals@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [ecominerals] Brazil gem mines suggestions?

I'm considering a first trip to Brazil to scout interesting ecologically managed
gem sources (semiprecious) and learn for our fashion jewelry line. Ideas and
suggestions?

Sent via handheld computer. Please excuse my brevity, spelling and grammar!
-

Bill Gallagher
Lori Bonn Design, Inc.
114 Linden Street, Oakland, CA 94607
510-286-8181 main * 510-409-4089
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting��������������510-409-4089������end_of_the_skype_\
highlighting
begin_of_the_skype_highlighting��������������510-409-4089������end_of_the_skype_\
highlighting cell * 510-217-9313 fax
bill@...
www.loribonn.com




------------------------------------

Yahoo! Groups Links

#1158

From: "ocherepanova" <ocherepanova@...>
Date: Thu Oct 28, 2010 6:47 pm
Subject: First International Seminar on Social Responsibility in Mining

ocherepanova

Call for papers open for the First International Seminar on Social
Responsibility in Mining
19-21 October 2011, Santiago, Chile
www.srmining.com
Organised by Gecamin, Chile, and Centre for Social Responsibility in Mining,
SMI, University of Queensland, Australia

THEMES:
� SR standards, corporate governance and management systems
� Human rights  in the context of mining
� Fair labour and operating practices
� Transparent engagement with communities and other stakeholders
� Community empowerment and capacity building
� The interface between community and environmental issues
� Social investments and community development
� Dealing with community conflicts and grievances
� Indigenous peoples, Indigenous rights and mining
� Gender and mining
� Artisanal and small-scale mining
� Supply chain management
� Measuring, monitoring and reporting social performance
� Building social capacity within the mining sector.

Submit your abstract by 21 January 2011 to srm@...

#1159

From: "Mr. Shefa Siegel" <shefayo@...>
Date: Fri Oct 29, 2010 8:37 pm
Subject: Defeat of C-300 in Canada

shefasiegel

For anybody tracking the responsible mining bill, C-300, in Canada, it was narrowly defeated Wednesday in Ottawa.

I have an Op-Ed about the defeat of the bill in The Mark this afternoon, which includes remarks by Senator Cardin given at the Vale Columbia Center’s very successful extractive industries conference this week in New York.

http://www.themarknews.com/articles/2969-bill-c-300-what-happened-to-good-governance

Respectfully,

Shefa Siegel

Dr. Shefa Siegel
International Project Manager
U.S. Department of State Andean Mining Project
Associate Faculty, School of Environment & Sustainability
Royal Roads University

shefayo@...

#1160

From: Saleem H Ali <Saleem.Ali@...>
Date: Sat Oct 30, 2010 12:45 pm
Subject: Congo Says Talks With BHP Billiton on Inga 3 Are Very Advanced

Saleem.Ali@...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-10-27/congo-says-talks-with-bhp-on-building-i\
nga-3-very-advanced-.html

Congo Says Talks With BHP Billiton on Inga 3 Power Plant Are Very
Advanced
By Michael J. Kavanagh and Jesse Riseborough - Oct 27, 2010 4:43 AM PT
Wed Oct 27 11:43:50 GMT 2010

   The Democratic Republic of Congoï¿½s government is in ï¿½very
advancedï¿½
talks with BHP Billiton Ltd. on the Inga 3 hydropower project, as the
worldï¿½s biggest mining company seeks electricity for a possible
aluminum smelter.
Congo formally invited offers to build the project on the Congo River
yesterday, Energy Minister Gilbert Tshiongo Tshibinkubula wa Tumba
said today in Kinshasa, the capital. BHP, studying development of a
smelter in the country, is continuing talks with the government on
both ventures, which are at an ï¿½early conceptual phase,ï¿½ Rosheeka
Amarasekara, a London-based spokeswoman for the company, said by
telephone.

Inga 3 is part of the planned $22 billion Inga power complex,
estimated to generate about 40,000 megawatts, almost twice the
capacity of Chinaï¿½s Three Gorges dam. A previous proposal for the
5,000-megawatt Inga 3, estimated to cost $5.2 billion, was shelved
when Western Power Corridor, a venture between five African countries,
was dissolved.

ï¿½BHP could potentially support the development of Inga 3 by
constructing an aluminum smelter in the Bas Congo province which could
source power from the Inga 3 hydropower scheme,ï¿½ Amarasekara said. The
company canï¿½t provide estimates on output or costs, she said.

BHP Smelter

BHP said in 2007 its plant could use about 2,000 megawatts of power
from the proposed Inga 3 project and produce 800,000 metric tons of
the metal a year.

ï¿½While waiting for the construction of Inga 3, Congo will face a
deficit in 2015 in the order of 858 megawatts as demand rises, notably
the demand of miners,ï¿½ the energy minister said today. The country
wants Inga 3 to be operational by 2020, he said, adding that 3,500
megawatts to 4,200 megawatts will be ï¿½prioritizedï¿½ for BHPï¿½s
smelter.

The nation needs $6.4 billion over the next five years to rehabilitate
and build its electricity network. Congo is seeking $22 billion
between 2015 and 2025 for Inga 3 and the Grand Inga dam, which would
harness the power of the Congo River, the second-biggest by volume
after the Amazon.

Congoï¿½s rivers could produce more than 100,000 megawatts at 341
different sites, the minister said. Only 2.5 percent of their energy
potential is currently being exploited. Congo has 2.463 megawatts of
hydropower installed and 1.382 is being used, he said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Michael J. Kavanagh in
Kinshasa at mkavanagh9@...; Jesse Riseborough in London at
jriseborough@...
.

To contact the editor responsible for this story: Amanda Jordan at
ajordan11@...
.
__

#1161

From: VILLASBOAS@...
Date: Sat Oct 30, 2010 5:05 pm
Subject: THORIUM NUCLEAR REACTORS

VILLASBOAS@...

From 2030 onwards the IV Generation Nuclear Reactors are planned to be
commercially available and , within these, Th based reactors.

Next December 09th and 10th , at CETEM/MCT , Rio de Janeiro, at the
Eletronuclear Nuclear Center,Angra dos Reis, and at the INB - Fabrica de
Combust�veis Nucleares, Resende , the IBEROEKA�s THORIUM MINIFORUM -
PROGRAM attached - will be held.

For those interested here is the program:

Within the Generation IV reactor�s framework, thorium (Th) comes back as a
nuclear fuel.

(http://gif.inel.gov/roadmap/pdfs/gen_iv_roadmap.pdf)

0.2.- Th is FERTILE, but not FISILE, thus having comparative environmental and
health advantages over other nuclear fuels.

0.3.- Also, since the G-IV Th based reactors produces less plutonium, and even
such is auto consumed in the reactor, they are out of the Non Proliferation
Treaty (NPT) (http://www.un.org/Depts/dda/WMD/treaty/).

0.4.- R&D experiences and even commercial ones, although restricted to low power
reactors, do exist in the USA and Germany long ago and today India (Kralkapar
I,) and Russia (in a joint venture with an American enterprise) run, construct
or operate experimental and pilot reactors, besides the well know Canadian
proposed CANDU use for Th.

0.5.- The G-IV reactors do have a conceptual design to promote SUSTAINABILITY,
minimizing nuclear waste and reducing the long term stewardship burden, to excel
in SAFETY and RELIABILITY, to have a life cycle COST ADVANTAGE, to be
PROLIFERATION RESISTANT and to increase PHYSICAL PROTECTION and are programmed
to be commercially available from 2030 onwards.

0.6.-In the Ibero American region, both Argentina and Brazil, during the 60�s
and 70�s, conducted reported R&D on Th reactors.

1. - OBJECTIVES:

To analyze, present and discuss options and advantages to the use and adoption
of Th based reactors in the Ibero American region, allowing a forum were
interested industry and academic parties can meet.

2. �DATES & VENUES:

2.1.- 09/10/2010: CETEM � Centro de Tecnologia Mineral, Cidade Universit�ria da
UFRJ, Ilha do Fund�o, Rio de Janeiro (HTTP://www.cetem.gov)

2.2.- 10/10/2010:
 CNAAA � Central Nuclear Almirante �lvaro Alberto, Angra dos Reis.
 FCN � F�brica de Combust�veis Nucleares, Resende.

4. -PROGRAMME:

4.1.- 09/12/2010
09h30min:

Opening of the event, Prof. Jos� Far�as de Oliveira, Director of CETEM/MCT and
Prof. Dr. Marco Antonio Raupp, President SBPC � Brazilian Society for the
Progress of Sciences.
09h55min:

General orientation on the MINIFORUM, Prof. Jos� Ram�n Per�n, Gestor
Internacional IBEROEKA, Spain, Eng. Andr� Carvalho, FINEP, Gestor IBEROEKA
BRASIL, Prof. Roberto C.

Villas-B�as, CETEM e CYTED/3, and Dr. David Per�z Mart�n, CYTED/7, Coordinators.

10h00min: Aula Magnae

�Nuclear Energy in Brazil: Present and Future�, Dr.Eng. Othon Luiz Pinheiro da
Silva, President-Director Eletronuclear, Brazil.

10h40min: Discussions

11h00min: Coffee break

11h15min: GEOLOGY & PROSPECTION BUSINESS

Introductory Talk

�ThDEPO - a Thorium database promoted by IAEA�,

Dr. Harikrishnan Tulsidas, ThDEPO Coordinator, Division of Nuclear Fuel Cycle &
Waste Technology, IAEA, Vienna.

11h45min: Exchange of ideas and suggestions

12h05min: MATERIALS & REACTORS BUSSINESS

Introductory Talk

�Brazilian Experiences on Research and Production on Th based Compounds and New
Concept on Th Reactors�, Dr. Paulo Ernesto Lainetti, LPTD, IPEN/CNEN, Brazil.

12h30min: Exchange of ideas and suggestions

13h05min to 14h15min: Lunch

14h15min:

Introductory Talk

�Sustainability Indicators for Th Extraction�, Prof. Dr. Roberto C. Villas-B�as,
Pesquisador Titular, CETEM, Brazil, Gestor Area-3/CYTED, and IMPC Sustainability
Committee.

14h35min: Exchange of ideas and suggestions

15h00min: Coffee break

15h15min: MINING & NUCLEAR PRODUCT BUSINESS

Introductory Talk

�INB: Facts & Perspectives�, Otto Bittencourt Netto y Adriano Maciel Tavares,
INB � Ind�strias Nucleares do Brasil, Brasil.

15h35min: Exchange of ideas and suggestions

16h05min: COURSE TRAINNING BUSINESS
Introductory Talk

�Professional Training for the Nuclear Industry in Mexico�, Prof. Dr. Jos� Luis
Solleiro, UNAM, M�xico.

16h25min: Exchange of ideas and suggestions

17h05min: Conclusions

17h45min: End of the day

4.2.- 10/12/2010

 Visit to the Nuclear Center Almirante �lvaro Alberto � CNAAA, Angra dos
Reis.

Bus leaves Rio, from Copacabana, by 08h00min

Starting at the Centro de Informa��o da Eletronuclear, in Itaorna, located at Km
518, Rodovia Mario Covas � BR-101-Sul, at 10h00min.

Lunch at 13h00min.

Return to Rio by 15h30min.

 Visit to FCN � F�brica de Combust�veis Nucleares, Resende.
Bus leaves Rio, from Copacabana, by 08h00min
Lunch at 13h00min.

Return to Rio by 15h30min.

Roberto C. Villas-B�as (villasboas@...)
CYTED/�rea Promo��o ao Desenvolvimento Industrial
David Perez Martin (davidp@...)
CYTED/�rea Energia
COVER

Pesquisa FAPESP - � Reprodu��es do livro Legendes Croyances et Talismans des
Indiens de l�Amazone/Ilustra��o de V. de Rego Monteiro

Cheers, Villas-B�as

Roberto C. Villas-B�as
IBEROEKA THORIUM MINIFORUM Coordinator
http://www.cyted.org

#1162

From: "Saleem H. Ali" <Saleem.Ali@...>
Date: Sun Oct 31, 2010 12:05 pm
Subject: Mongolian mining article in The Economist

Saleem.Ali@...

From The Economist

*Mongolia's mining boom*

Nomads no more

*A steppe-land struggles with new riches *

Oct 21st 2010 | /ulan bator /

http://www.economist.com/sites/default/files/images/images-magazine/2010/10/23/a\
s/20101023_asp003.jpgGouging

the grasslands

MONGOLIANS were until recently wont to describe themselves as �beggars
sitting on a huge pile of gold�. The country has vast but largely
untapped mineral deposits. Until recently wages were low and jobs
scarce. Shoppers in Ulan Bator, the capital, were not spoilt for
choice�unless they were in the market for dried meat, vegetables or
furry hats.

But with the recent launch of several big mining projects, a
transformation looms. It will present the government with a different
set of problems: how to manage a promised economic boom without
devastating the environment or destabilising either the economy or the
nation�s fledgling democracy.

Few doubt that the boom is coming. The IMF foresees a double-digit
annual-growth rate for years to come; and a quadrupling of GDP per
head�currently a measly $2,000�by 2018. Two mines in Mongolia�s southern
Gobi region are expected to provide much of the new wealth. One, called
Oyu Tolgoi, which was given the green light last year, will tap an
estimated 40m tonnes of copper and also gold. The other is an existing
coal mine, Tavan Tolgoi, to which new capacity has been added, including
road and rail links to its main customer, China (surprise, surprise).

The government will be a big beneficiary of the boom: it owns a third of
Oyu Tolgoi (a Canadian firm, Ivanhoe, owns the rest). Yet the country�s
president, Tsakhiagiin Elbegdorj, considers it potentially dangerous.
�If we get much more income and much more profit in a bad system with
bad governance, I think Mongolia is in trouble,� he says.

Mongolian politics is already based on patronage, with politicians
invariably offering cash and other goodies for votes. Swollen government
coffers could exaggerate these bad habits. Corruption could also
thrive�as it did in the 1990s, on the back of a hasty privatisation of
state-owned businesses soon after the country emerged from the Soviet
Union�s shadow and introduced democracy. Indeed, the involvement of many
senior officials in mining makes this likely. And even virtuous public
spending may push up inflation.

An economy hooked on a handful of commodities is also vulnerable to
price shocks. A new fiscal stability law has been adopted, setting
indices for commodity prices for budgeting purposes. When prices go
above the index, excess revenue will be stored in a �stability fund�. If
prices fall, the government can tap the fund to cover its costs.

Other precautions are being taken. New anti-corruption legislation has
been passed. And Mr Elbegdorj vows to help boost investments in
non-mining sectors, including tourism, finance and outsourcing. He says
that mining�s contribution to output should shrink from 70%, its current
level, to around 20% within two decades.

That sounds unlikely. Yet there is hope that Mongolia�s current leaders,
who are better educated than their predecessors, do at least understand
the dilemmas involved in managing the coming riches and the rising
expectations they will bring. �It�s a question of whether we become
Nigeria or Chile,� says a senior government adviser, in a country
accelerating away from its sleepy nomadic past.

Asia

Erin Stotz//

Conservation Biology //

Denver Zoo//

2300 Steele Street//

Denver, CO 80205//

303-376-6728//

estotz@... <mailto:estotz@...>

*P****please consider the environment before printing this e-mail*