NEWS ARCHIVE

December 2000

TAZEWELL AND WISE TO GET $1.2 MILLION FOR WATER PROJECTS

The Virginian-Pilot and The Ledger-Star, Norfolk, VA - 30 December 2000 - Gov. Jim Gilmore said Thursday that $1.2million in Abandoned Mine Land funding will help pay for water projects in Tazewell and Wise counties. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

FORCE MINING FIRMS TO SOLVE DISPUTES THROUGH TALKS NGO, JAKARTA

Associated Press via EnviroLink Service 29 December 2000 - The government should issue a ruling that would force mining companies to resolve their conflicts with locals through negotiations and hence minimize risks of human rights abuses, a mining non-governmental organization said. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

FINANCIER AGREES TO PAY TO CLEAN UP GOLD MINE IN SUMMITVILLE, COLORADO

Denver Post via NewsEdge Corporation - 29 December 2000 - The financier accused of leaving behind one of Colorado's worst environmental disasters when his company abandoned the Summitville gold mine in 1992 has agreed to pay $27.5 million to help clean it up. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

SOUTHERN PERU COPPER SUED FOR ALLEGED POLLUTION

Planet Ark - 29 December 2000 - A group of Peruvians suffering from asthma sued the Southern Peru Copper Corp. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

SPAN MULLS APPEAL OF TOXIC SPILL RULING

Planet Ark - 29 December 2000 - The Spanish government said on Thursday it may appeal a judge's ruling that cleared 25 people of criminal action in Spain's worst environmental disaster, a massive toxic-waste spill at a metals mine. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

SPANISH JUDGE CLOSES CASE IN MASSIVE TOXIC SPILL

Planet Ark - 28 December 2000 - A Spanish judge has closed an inquiry into Spain's worst ever environmental disaster, after finding that 25 people under investigation had no criminal responsibility, state radio said on Wednesday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

DR CONGO ADOPTS SMALL SCALE MINING POLICY

Africa News Service via EnviroLink Service 27 December 2000 - The Congolese government has adopted a small-scale mining policy to guide in the development of small-scale miners of all precious and semi-precious mineral resources such as diamonds, gold, Colombo tantalite and tin-bearing ores, the Mines Ministry said. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

EATING MINING WASTE (Brief Article)

Information Access Company via NewsEdge Corporation - 27 December 2000 - A joint U.S.-Australia research group, led by the University of Wisconsin (Madison), reports in this week's Science that it has identified a bacteria that efficiently removes zinc from mining wastewater. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

OSM ISSUES NEW RULES ENVIRONMENTALISTS FEAR CHANGE WILL HURT ANTI-POLLUTION EFFORT

The Courier-Journal Louisville, KY via EnviroLink Service - 23 December 2000 - The U.S. Office of Surface Mining has issued new rules that environmentalists fear will reduce the federal government's ability to aggressively pursue polluters. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

FIFTEEN SAID BURIED ALIVE AT GOLD MINE IN NIGERIA

Agence France Presse via NewsEdge Corporation - 21 December 2000 - Fifteen people illegally mining for gold at an abandoned state-run gold mine in southwest Nigeria were buried alive by a landslide, press reports said Wednesday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY TAKES ACTION AGAINST MANGANESE COMPANY

Ghanaian Chronicle via AllAfrica.com - 20 December 2000 - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has run out of patience on the Ghana Manganese Company (GMC) and dragged them to Court for gross environmental violations. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

UNEP AND EEA CALL FOR URGENT ACTION TO PROTECT EUROPE'S DAMAGED SOIL

UNEP via Environmental News Network (ENN) - 20 December 2000 - The degradation of Europe's vital soil resources will continue and even accelerate unless prompt action is taken now, according to a new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). Further information can be obtained from the news article.

S. AFRICAN GOVERNMENT SIGNALS NEW ERA FOR MINERAL RIGHTS

Africa News Service via EnviroLink Services - 19 December 2000 - Government yesterday gave flesh to its previously announced intention to radically transform the ownership structure of mineral and mining rights. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

DISASTER SELDOM FAR AWAY IN CHAOTIC AND POORLY REGULATED COAL MINES

South China Morning Post via EnviroLink Service - 19 December 2000 - China's central Government renewed its efforts to reduce the number of mining accidents by unveiling tough, new laws with financial penalties enforced by a national-level health and safety inspection system. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

S. AFRICA OUTLINES DRAFT LAW GIVING STATE CONTROL OVER MINERALS

Agence France Presse via NewsEdge Corporation - 19 December 2000 - Draft legislation that would give the South African state the right to exercise full and permanent sovereignty over mineral resources was released for public comment on Monday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

Report of the International Task Force for Assessing the Baia Mare Accident (December 2000) is available at EU site (http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/enlarg/home.htm#baiamare).

EU CYANIDE REPORT AN ACE FOR COURT CASE - HUNGARY

Planet Ark 17 December 2000 - An EU report on a cyanide spill into the Danube and Tisza rivers is a good starting place for Hungary's legal battle against a part owner of the plant held responsible, a Hungarian official said on Saturday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

EU ENVIRONMENT CHIEF SEES NEW MINING WASTE RULES EU

Planet Ark - 17 December 2000 - The head of European Union environment policy said on Friday she was likely to propose stricter safety rules for metals mines, based on a report on a major cyanide spill in Romania earlier this year. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

INDUSTRY FIGHTS RULES AIMED AT PROTECTING COAL MINERS

Charleston Gazette via EnviroLink Service - 15 December 2000 - Mining industry officials urged federal regulators Thursday not to implement a new rule aimed at protecting miners from hazardous chemicals, saying it is unnecessary and would be burdensome for some operators. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

DISASTROUS ROMANIAN CYANIDE SPILLS COULD HAVE BEEN WORSE

Lycos News (ENS) - 15 December 2000 - January's Baia Mare mine cyanide spill in northwestern Romania should serve as a wakeup call for regulators and mining companies throughout Europe, the head of a European Union task force set up to investigate the accident said today. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

AT LEAST 21 DEAD AFTER COLLAPSE AT GOLD MINE IN SOUTHERN CHINA

Agence France Presse via NewsEdge Corporation - 14 December 2000 - At least 21 miners were killed after a collapse at a gold mine in southern China, the latest in a spate of disasters to hit the country's notoriously unsafe mining industry, officials said Wednesday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

TWELVE MINERS FEARED DEAD IN EASTERN INDIA

Agence France Presse via NewsEdge Corporation - 14 December 2000 - Twelve miners were feared killed when the coal mine in which they were working collapsed on Wednesday in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, police here said. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

STUDY CALLS FOR SAFETY REVIEW OF ALL ONTARIO MINES OVER NEXT 18 MONTHS

Associated Press via EnviroLink Service 13 December 2000 - An independent study has called for a review of mine safety at each of Ontario's 42 mines over the next 18 months. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MODEL MINE PROGRAM GIVES LESSONS IN MODERN MINING

Mining Engineering via EnviroLink Service - 11 December 2000 - The Northwest Natural Resources Institute (NNRI) developed the Model Mine program to educate students about the vital role mining plays in everyday life. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

EXCELLENCE IN SURFACE MINING RECLAMATION AWARDS PRESENTED AT MINEXPO

Mining Engineering via EnviroLink Service - 11 December 2000 - Coal mine operators in Alabama, Colorado, Indiana, Kentucky, Montana, Pennsylvania, Texas and Virginia are winners of this year's Excellence in Surface Mining Reclamation awards. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MINING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT AT RED DOG

Mining Engineering via EnviroLink Service - 11 December 2000 - The Red Dog mill and employee accommodations complex with the mine pit in the foreground. The mine, the world's largest zinc mine, is located about 145 km (90 miles) north of the Arctic Circle. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

NMA ANNOUNCES CHARMAN'S AWARD FOR EXCELLENCE IN MINING EDUCATION

Mining Engineering via EnviroLink Service - 11 December 2000 - Cleveland-Cliffs, RAG American Coal-Pennsylvania Operations, ESRI and the Kentucky Coal Association are the recipients of the National Mining Association's (NMA) 2000 Chairman's Awards for Excellence in Mining Education. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

CHINESE MINE MANAGER ARRESTED

BBC News - 10 December 2000 - Chinese police have arrested the manager of a coalmine in the north-west of the country where an explosion last week is thought to have left more than 40 miners dead. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

SOUTH AFRICA TO HOLD 2002 EARTH SUMMIT

The South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism announced on Sunday that the United Nations General Assembly on Environment and Sustainable Development (UNCED) had chosen South Africa to host the Earth Summit in 2002. Further information can be obtained from the Press Briefing.

SOUTH AFRICA TO HOST GIANT EARTH SUMMIT

AllAfrica.com - 10 December 2000 - The UN General Assembly on Environment and Sustainable Development (UNCED) has chosen South Africa to host the Earth Summit in 2002, it was announced Sunday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

DON'T MINE GOLD FOR JEWELS - TURK ENVIRONMENTALIST

Planet Ark - 10 December 2000 - A prize-winning Turkish environmentalist said on Friday mining gold for jewelry was a destructive process and completely unnecessary given the huge existing supply in the world's central banks. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

STRIP COAL MINING ON TRIAL IN APPALACHIANS

Environment News Network 08 December 2000 - The future of strip coal mining in the central Appalachians could rest on an appeal of a West Virginia case heard Thursday by three judges of the U.S. Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MONTANA LAW IS WAR AGAINST MINES, EXEC SAYS

EnviroLink Service - 08 December 2000 - Montana's law prohibiting new open-pit mines that use cyanide to process gold and silver ore is the opening salvo in a nationwide war against mining, a mining company executive said Thursday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MINING EXEC SAYS MONTANA BAN PART OF NATIONWIDE 'WAR' NO CYANIDE COMPANY SUES AFTER INITIATIVE STOPPED PLANNED OPEN-PIT MINE

MINE OPERATORS FACE NEW HAZARD COMMUNICATION RULE

Rock Products via NewsEdge Corporation - 07 December 2000 - Sand, gravel and crushed stone operations will face new hazard communication requirements under a new Mine Safety and Health Adminis tration (MSHA) regulation the agency describes as an interim final rule. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

CHINA COAL MINE BLASTS KILL 67

The Associated Press via NewsEdge Corporation - 04 December 2000 - Rescuers have abandoned hopes of finding more survivors of a north China coal mine explosion that may have killed almost 50 people, while another mine blast in the country's southwest has killed 17, mine officials said Sunday. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MURCHISON TO STUDY BOLIDEN SPANISH MINE

Planet Ark - 03 December 2000 - Australian miner Murchison United NL said on Friday it had entered into an exclusive arrangement with Boliden Apirsa SL to undertake due diligence on the Los Frailes zinc mine in Andalucia, Spain. Further information can be obtained from the news article.

MICROBES MAKE MINE WASTE DRINKABLE

Lycos News (ENS) - 01 December 2000 - Tiny bacteria that usher dissolved zinc into a solid form may help make the removal of mining waste more efficient in groundwater and wetlands, according to a study in today's issue of the journal "Science." Further information can be obtained from the news article.