Mining Injustice Solidarity Network

Alberta’s oil sands now make Canada America’s major oil supplier, but the billion-dollar industry extracts a terrible price: some of the cleanest water on earth is used to make the dirtiest oil in the world, with catastrophic results.

For centuries the American West has been the realm of cowboys, miners and frontiersman. Since 1872 mining companies have been reaping the benefit of an antiquated law allowing mining companies to purchase land at bargain prices, such as the recent acquisition of an entire mountain for only 875 dollars. Wild Chronicles follows what happens when 19th century laws are faced up against 21st century sensibilities.

See All National Geographic Videos
http://video.nationalgeographic.com/v…

Assassination of anti-mining resistance leader, Marcelo Rivera, sparks campaign of terror against activists

“Our Land, Our Life” presents the struggle of Carrie and Mary Dann, two Western Shoshone elders, to address the threat mining development poses to the sacred and environmentally sensitive lands of Crescent Valley, Nevada.  Produced by Oxfam America.

Speech by Jethro Tulin, Executive Officer,in Akali Tange Association, Highlands of Papua New Guinea at the UN Permanent Forum on Indigenous Issueson, on the environmentally destructive impacts of Barrick Gold Porgera Gold Mine, the human rights abuses, and extra judical killings.

video by Izzy Brown: http://www.myspace.com/izzylabrat

Lake Cowal is situated 47km north-east of West Wyalong, central western New South Wales and is the biggest inland lake in the state. It is protected under two international agreements on migratory birds with Japan (JAMBA) and China (CAMBA), it is also listed on the national heritage register as a significant wetland, and home to many native and endangered species. Lake Cowal is an ephemeral lake that floods into the Lachlan river catchments which leads to the Murrumbidgie and Murray Rivers.

Canadian Gold mining company Barrick has proposed to mine at Lake Cowal using cyanide and lethal chemicals. This mine will be an open cut mine 1km long, 325m deep (the height of Centre Point Tower) and 825m wide on the very edge of the lake. The low-grade ore that is dug up is sprayed with a cyanide solution that leaches out tiny gold flecks; the waste cyanide is then transported through pipes to tailings dams 3.5km from the Lake. The dams are left open so that cyanide can break down. There are close to a hundred toxic chemicals that are breakdown products of cyanide, there are also heavy metals that remain from this process which are a threat to health. One teaspoon of a 2% solution can kill an adult human.

Activists travelled to Lake Cowal in October 2004 to challenge Barrick and act in solidarity with local indigenous people

Produced by the Pulitzer Center, “Congo’s Bloody Coltan” is a quick glimpse at coltan’s role in Congo’s civil war. It was featured on “Foreign Exchange with Fareed Zakaria” in the Fall of 2006. For photographs, resources and additional reporting by Mvemba Phezo Dizolele on the DRC visit:
http://www.pulitzercenter.org/showpro…

From Rights Action (http://www.rightsaction.org/video/elest or/):

On January 8th and 9th 2007, hundreds of police and soldiers in Guatemala forcibly evicted the inhabitants of several communities who were living on lands that a Guatemalan military government had granted to Canadian mining company INCO in 1965. Local indigenous people claim the land to be theirs, and resent the exploitation of a foreign corporation. Canada’s Skye Resources now lays claim to the land, and paid workers a nominal sum to destroy people’s homes. With the force of the army and police, company workers took chainsaws and torches to people’s homes, while women and children stood by. Skye Resources claims that they maintained “a peaceful atmosphere during this action.”

The mining company Barrick Gold made millions of dollars by mining copper, silver, and gold on the tropical paradise island of Marinduque in the Philippines. The poverty-stricken local population was left with an environmental and health catastrophe. The canadian company is now fighting in the courts to avoid having to clean up.

The Alangan forest people on the Philippine island of Mindoro are frightened. The sound of test drilling can be heard several places in the jungle they are dependent on. The land they have inherited from their ancestors is threatened by Norwegian mining operations.