NEWS ARCHIVE

EU MOOTS TIGHTER RULES TO PREVENT MINING POLLUTION

Planet Ark - 31 October 2000 - The European Commission said yesterday it was looking at tightening regulations on metals mines to prevent environmental disasters caused by toxic waste spills. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

HUNGARY TO SUE ROMANIAN COMPANY OVER CYANIDE POLLUTION

Agence France Presse - 29 October 2000 - Hungary plans to sue the Romania-based gold mining company Aurul for damages caused by a cyanide spill that devastated central Europe's principal rivers earlier this year, an official said Saturday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MINING HEARING DATE SET: GOVERNOR, OTHERS CHALLENGED RULING LIMITING PLACEMENT OF MINING WASTE

EnviroLink Service - 27 October 2000 - A federal appeals court will hear oral arguments Dec. 7 in the appeal of a ruling limiting mountaintop-removal mining, the court said Tuesday. A three-judge panel from the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va., will hear the arguments, the court said. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

EROSION PROBLEMS TO GULP N6B

AllAfrica.com - 26 October 2000 - About N6 billion would be required to address erosion problems in the country as a result of mining activities. Already, as part of the federal government's support, a team of consultants have begun work on the plausibility of a nation-wide land reclamation on all geographical zones of the country devastated by various shades of solid and non-solid mineral mining activities. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

UN ENVIRONMENT AGENCY UNVEILS NORTH AMERICAN OFFICE

Lycos News (ENS) - 26 October 2000 - The United Nations Environment Programme inaugurated its new North American Regional Office in downtown Washington today, a move that officials said will help to disseminate important environmental information to developing countries around the world. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

WORLD'S FIRST COMPUTER-CONTROLLED MINING BLAST INCO MINE IN SUDBURY

Canada NewsWire via NewsEdge Corporation - 25 October 2000 - Ontario's Northern Development and Mines Minister Tim Hudak set off the world's first underground explosion via a computer stationed on the surface at Inco Limited's experimental mine near Sudbury today. This milestone event adds computerized blasting to the repertoire of tomorrow's hard rock miners. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP ON ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY IN MINING

UNEP Information Release - 25 October 2000 - The Australian Government and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) are together playing a leading role in improving mining safety around the world. The workshop on Environmental Regulation for Accident Prevention in Mining - Tailings and Chemicals Management, brings together over 40 participants from 25 countries. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

CREW DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION: TEST MINING PROGRAM SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED AT NALUNAQ

Business Wire via EnviroLink Service - 23 October 2000 - Crew Development Corporation ("Crew") is pleased to announce that this summer's test-mining program at the high-grade gold deposit at Nalunaq, Greenland, has been successfully completed. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

15 KILLED, 100 MISSING IN CHINA LANDSLIDE

AP World News via NewsEdge Corporation - 23 October 2000 - A heap of mining waste collapsed in southern China, unleashing a mud tide that engulfed houses and workers' dormitories, killing at least 15 people and leaving more than 100 others missing, a state-run newspaper and a company official said Friday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

TORONTO DUMPS PLAN TO SHIP TRASH TO ABANDONED MINE

Planet Ark - 23 October 2000 - The city of Toronto has dumped its plan to ship millions of tonnes of garbage to an abandoned mine site in northern Ontario. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

REPORT: WORLD'S WATER SYSTEMS IN TROUBLE

Environment News Network (ENN) - 22 October 2000 - By Associated Press While many regions have ample water supplies, four out of every 10 people live in river basins with water scarcity, according to World Resources Institute report. Fresh water systems around the world are so environmentally degraded they are losing their ability to support human, animal and plant life, according to a report released Saturday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

NO QUICK SLUDGE FIX SEEN IN OHIO

Environment News Network (ENN) - 21 October 2000 - By Associated Press Environmental officials fear that a coal waste pond leaking noxious sludge will continue to threaten ground water in Charleston, West Virginia, and the Ohio River. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

GRAVEL MINING MUSEUM, LAND USE POLICY PROPOSED

Buffalo News via EnviroLink Service - 21 October 2000 - A far-reaching report recommends a public-private gravel mining museum complex in the Route 16 corridor and a county policy to promote land use and development plans. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

COAL SLUDGE DISASTER

Ohio Valley Environmental Coalition via Environment News Network (ENN) - 21 October 2000 - Several West Virginia citizen groups are organizing the Funeral for the Mountains to mourn for the losses to communities and ecosystems caused by mountaintop removal. The Funeral Parade will feature "mountains," and pall bearers, dressed in black, carrying "coffins," each filled with a representation of something lost to mountaintop removal / valley fill strip mining -- topsoil, birds, animals, fish, trees, plants, streams and mountain communities. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

STATES CRACK DOWN ON MERCURY

Omaha World-Herald via EnviroLink Service 20 October 2000 - Mercury thermometers, once the staple of every well-stocked medicine cabinet, are on the outs in some parts of the country because of the threats the silvery metal inside poses to people and the environment. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

NEEDED: TWO MORE EARTHS

Lycos News (ENS) 20 October 2000 - If every human alive today consumed natural resources and emitted carbon dioxide at the same rate as the average American European or Australian we would need at least another two earths, WWF, the conservation organization, revealed at the launch today of its Living Planet Report 2000. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

FEDERAL INSPECTORS TO INVESTIGATE COAL INDUSTRY DAMS

EnviroLink Service - 19 October 2000 - Federal mine inspectors will conduct another nationwide investigation of coal industry dams to try to prevent more accidents like the one last week at an A.T. Massey Coal Co. operation in Kentucky, officials said Wednesday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

SETTLEMENT REACHED FOR CALIFORNIA SUPERFUND SITE LEAKING ACIDIC WATER

CNN - 19 October 2000 - More than $800 million will be spent to clean up one of the nation's most toxic Superfund sites -- a defunct copper mine that spews neon-green water -- under a settlement announced Thursday. Further information can be obtained from the news article and US EPA Region 9.

TOXIC WATER: PLATEAU GOVT ASSURES ON SAFETY OF VEGETABLES

AllAfrica.com - 19 October 2000 - Taye Obateru Jos The Plateau State government has assured members of the public of the safety of vegetables produced in the state, dismissing claims that toxic water was being used to cultivate them. Commissioner for Environment and Mineral Development, Alhaji Saidu Musa told Vanguard Wednesday that contrary to earlier reports, the ministry's investigations showed that the water from mining ponds being used for vegetable cultivation met World Bank (WHO) acceptable standard for irrigation. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

45 APPALACHIA-AREA COAL DAMS HAVE HIGH POTENTIAL FOR COLLAPSE, DATA SHOWS

The Charleston Gazette, Charleston, WV via NewsEdge Corporation - 18 October 2000 - Dozens of mining company dams in the Appalachian coalfields pose a greater danger than a Kentucky impoundment that flooded an underground mine last week and dumped polluted mine waste into streams, according to a review of federal government data. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

ENVIRONMENTAL GROUPS CALL ON MINNESOTA MINING INDUSTRY TO REDUCE POLLUTION

Duluth News-Tribune, Minnesota via NewsEdge Corporation - 18 October 2000 - Environmental groups Tuesday called on Minnesota's mining industry to clean up its act before expanding, saying current and proposed mines cause more lasting environmental problems than economic benefits. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

COAL SLUDGE SPILL FOULS KENTUCKY RIVERS

Lycos News (ENS) - 18 October 2000 - A massive spill of liquified coal waste from the Martin County Coal Corporation in eastern Kentucky reached the Ohio River yesterday at Catlettsburg after polluting a number of smaller waterways. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

UNEP CLEANER PRODUCTION SEMINAR ENDS IN MONTREAL

United Nations Environment Programme via Environment New Network (ENN) - 18 October 2000 - Who is interested to make a change? That was the invitation from the Executive Director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Klaus Toepfer, to the 250 decision-makers from 85 countries meeting from 15-17 October in Montreal for UNEP's 6th International High-level Seminar on Cleaner Production. In response to Mr. Toepfer's call, participants reviewed how business, public authorities and other stakeholders, all over the world, are contributing to changes in production and consumption patterns. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

GOVERNMENT TO CONDUCT AIRBORNE MINERAL SURVEY

Panafrican News Agency via AllAfrica.com - 18 October 2000 - Namibia's mines and energy ministry has contracted an Australian geophysics company, Tesla Airborne Geoscience, to conduct an airborne geophysical survey for minerals over the northern portion of the Namib-Naukluft Park, near Sossusvlei. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

BLM REVISES SURFACE MINING RULES, INCREASES ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Lycos News (ENS) 17 October 2000 - The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has published a final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) on the agency's proposal to upgrade its surface mining regulations. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

ALASKA MINERS TO FACE NEW FEDERAL REGULATIONS

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News via EnviroLink Service - 16 October 2000 - Marking the first major revision to hard-rock mining laws in 20 years, the federal Interior Department is poised to adopt new rules designed to better protect the environment on public lands. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MINING INDUSTRY'S CLIMATE CHANGE PERFORMANCE IMPROVES AGAIN

Canada Newswire via EnviroLink Service - 16 October 2000 - The mining industry's climate change performance continues to improve, according to the latest statistics on energy consumption and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions released by the Canadian Industrial Energy End-Use Data and Analysis Centre (CIEEDAC), an independent authority on industrial climate change performance. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

UNEP CHIEF SAYS GREENER TRADE POLICIES ESSENTIAL

Lycos News (ENS) - 16 October 2000 - Reconciling environment and trade policies is one of the most important challenges facing policy makers today, the head of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) told a workshop on trade and environment at Germany’s Loccum Academy late last week. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

ENVIRONMENT 2001 - Millenium initiative from the General Exhibitions Corporations

The GENERAL EXHIBITIONS CORPORATION (GEC) will host "ENVIRONMENT 2001" from the 4th-8th February, 2001 at the state-of-the-art Abu Dhabi International Exhibition Centre (ADIEC). The event reflects the UAE's commitment to environmental concerns, under the patronage of the president, His Highness Sheikh Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan. ENVIRONMENT 2001 will be the largest such event in the MENA (Middle East & North Africa) region, a huge and growing market, according to World Bank estimates. The event will bring key decision-makers in the region face-to-face with worldwide manufacturers and suppliers of environmental products, services and technologies. The "projects village", an exclusive feature of the show, provides complimentary space for MENA countries to display their past, present and proposed environmental projects. ENVIRONMENT 2001 covers a wide spectrum of issues, including, the management of water, air, land, wastes and energy, as well as various ancilliary areas. The accompanying Conference focuses on "Environmental Sustainable Development and Industry". ENVIRONMENT 2001 is fully supported by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and the International Maritime Organisation (IMO). GEC, as the apex institution for the Abu Dhabi exhibition industry, is responsible for some of the most significant events in the region.

WEST VIRGINIA COAL MINE SPILL UNDERSCORES DAM CONCERNS

Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News via EnviroLink Service 13 October 2000 - On Wednesday and Thursday, Coldwater Fork and Wolf Creek flowed black. Early Wednesday, a coal waste dam at an A.T. Massey Coal Co. mine collapsed. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

CANADA HOSTS UNEP'S 6TH INTERNATIONAL HIGH-LEVEL SEMINAR ON CLEANER PRODUCTION (CP6)

12 October 2000 - Many of the world's leading proponents of a preventive approach to environmental management will gather at the Headquarters of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) in Montreal on 16-17 October 2000 for an international seminar on "cleaner production" organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and hosted by the Government of Canada. This seminar will be the first of two related events hosted by Canada. The International Pollution Prevention Summit will follow on 18-20 October at the same venue. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

CHINA MINE BLAST KILLS 25

BBC News - 11 October 2000 - The Chinese news agency, Xinhua, says twenty five people have been killed in an explosion at a coal mine in the north west Gansu province. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MEXICO'S PENOLES OPENS $39 MILLION ZINC MINE

Planet Ark - 11 October 2000 - Mexico's Industrias Penoles SA de CV , the world's leading silver producer, yesterday opened its majority-owned zinc and precious metals mine in the coastal state of Guerrero, potentially raising its average annual zinc production 12 percent. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

'ZERO EMISSIONS, ZERO WASTE' MINERALS VISION

Environmental News Network (ENN) - 10 October 2000 - Australia's minerals and energy sector must aim for a policy of zero emissions, zero waste by 2020 if the nation is still to enjoy the living standards and prosperity that flow from it, according to one of Australia's most eminent earth scientists. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

IMPROVEMENTS SEEN IN ACID-MINE-DRAINAGE TECHNOLOGY

Mining Engineering via EnviroLink Network - 10 October - The Fifth International Conference on acid rock drainage (ICARD 2000) was held on 21-24 May, 2000, in Denver, CO. The three-day conference consisted of about 150 oral presentations and poster sessions that described the state-of-the-art of acid-rockdrainage (ARD) science and technology. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

HAZARDOUS WASTES EXPERTS DRAFT GUIDELINES ON DISMANTLING SHIPS AND PREVENTING ILLEGAL TRAFFIC

UNEP News Releas Issued - Geneva - 09 October 2000 - Hazardous wastes experts draft guidelines on dismantling ships and preventing illegal traffic Basel Convention's technical and legal working groups meet in Geneva Nairobi, 10 October 2000 - International experts on the technical and legal aspects of hazardous wastes are meeting here this week to promote further progress under the Basel Convention on the Transboundary Movement of Hazardous Wastes and Their Disposal. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

ROMANIA PONDERS OPTIONS FOR RADIOACTIVE WASTE

Lycos News (ENS) - 09 October 2000 - The Romanian national low and intermediate level radioactive waste repository in Baita has stirred passions since 1985, when it became operational. The Baita repository is located in a gallery in an abandoned uranium mine, in the Apuseni Mountains, in western Romania. In 1982, taking into account geological, climatic, security and financial criteria, the Baita site seemed to be the best solution to Romania's search for a final disposal area for low and intermediate level radioactive waste, says Petrica Sandru, vice president of the Romanian Radiological Protection Society. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

PUBLIC NEEDS TO KNOW MORE ABOUT MINING TO PUSH PUBLIC POLICY

The Salt Lake Tribune via EnviroLink Network - 08 October - In my interaction with friends and acquaintances, I am frequently shocked to learn how little the public at large knows about mining and its importance to our way of life. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

LATIN AMERICAN, CARIBBEAN ENVIRONMENT MINISTERS PLAN FOR NEXT GLOBAL MEETING, RIO+10

Lycos News (ENS) - 05 October 2000 - The focus was on deforestation, bioprospecting, watersheds, natural disasters and global warming as the environment ministers for Latin American and the Caribbean met at a forum held in Mexico City this week. The ministers are getting ready for Rio+10, a global meeting of world leaders 10 years after the historic 1992 United Nations Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Rio+10 is expected to build on Agenda 21, the plan of work agreed upon at the Earth Summit to conserve the environment. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

CHINESE CYANIDE DISASTER AVERTED

BBC News - 03 October 2000 - The authorities in central China say they have acted quickly to prevent wide-spread damage after a truck carrying tons of sodium cyanide plunged into a river. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

CYANIDE SPILL IN CHINESE RIVER

BBC News - 03 October 2000 - Officials in northern China are battling to stave off an ecological disaster after a chemical truck plunged into a river spilling 5.2 tonnes of sodium cyanide into the water. The authorities have been forced to build a dam to contain the pollution in the Wuguan River and issue a ban on drinking water, according to the official Xinhua news agency. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

UN AND NGOs MUST WORK TOGETHER AS PARTNERS TO SPREAD THE ENVIRONMENTAL MESSAGE, SAYS UNEP EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

UNEP News Release - UN and NGOs must work together as partners to spread the environmental message, says UNEP Executive Director Amman, 4 October 2000 - Civil society as represented by organizations such as the World Conservation Union (IUCN) has a vital role to play in saving the global environment, the UN's top environment official told delegates to the IUCN Congress here today. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MINE THREATENED WITH LAWSUIT

EnviroLink Network - 03 October - Two conservation organizations say they plan to sue the operators of a huge gold mine in Teller County for allegedly violating the federal Clean Water Act. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

BUTTE, MONTANA, COPPER MINE GETS VIOLATION LETTER FROM ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT

Knight Ridder Business News The Montana Standard, Butte, MT via NewsEdge Corporation - 02 October - Montana Resources has received a violation letter from the state Department of Environmental Quality pertaining to tailings whipped up by strong winds last week in Butte. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST/ 160 FEARED DEAD IN COAL MINE EXPLOSION

Asia Intelligence Wire via NewsEdge Corporation - 02 October 2000 - A gas explosion in a coal mine in southwestern Guizhou province left as many as 161 miners dead or missing, officials said yesterday. A mine official said there were 118 deaths. But others said rescue efforts were still under way, and the fate of scores of miners remained unknown nearly a day after the accident on Wednesday night in Shuicheng county, Liupanshui city. Further information can be obtained from the news article. 

COAL MINE OPPONENTS WORRY OVER WATER

Environmental News Network (ENN) - 01 October 2000 - A year ago, the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency denied Georgetown's request to build a new, higher dam on its reservoir, saying the project would increase contaminants. Now opponents of the proposed Vermilion Grove Coal Mine are wondering why the agency is thinking of allowing a coal mine to open near the Little Vermilion River - the river that feeds the reservoir. Further information can be obtained from the news article.