NEWS ARCHIVE

COURT REVERSES DECISION ON MINING

Washingtonpost.com - 30 January 2003 - In a major victory for the mining industry, a US appeals court in Richmond has reversed a lower-court ruling that would have ended the practice of filling rivers and streams with waste rock and dirt from mountaintop mining operations. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

CALLING OUTSTANDING RESOURCES INDUSTRY ENVIRONMENTAL OPERATORS FOR 2003 GOLDEN GECKO AWARDS

Western Australia Department of Mineral and Petroleum Resources - 30 January 2003 - Outstanding environmental achievements in Western Australia's resources industry will be recognised for the 12th consecutive year, with nominations now open for the 2003 Golden Gecko Awards for Environmental Excellence. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

INDONESIA WEIGHTS MINING IN PROTECTED FORESTS

Planet Ark - 29 January 2003 - Indonesia is considering issuing a decree to allow mining firms to operate in areas protected by the country's forestry law, Mines and Energy Minister Purnomo Yusgiantoro said yesterday. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

BUSH LOOKS TO ADD MINE INSPECTOR JOBS

EnviroLink Services - 29 January 2003 - The Bush administration, following mining accidents such as the Quecreek disaster last summer, is seeking to create 55 new inspector jobs at coal, metal and nonmetal mines as part of next year's federal budget, a top Labor Department official said this week. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

GOVT AGREES TO REMOVE DEADLY DRUMS OF CYANIDE

AllAfrica.com - 29 January 2003 - Twelve drums of highly toxic calcium cyanide found at an abandoned mine in the Namib Desert outside Swakopmund in October will be removed this morning, according to the Ministry of Mines and Energy. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

US COULD BLOCK INTERNATIONAL ACTION ON MERCURY

Lycos News (ENS) - 28 January 2003 - The United States plans to attempt to thwart future talks on mercury pollution at an international meeting next month, suggests an internal document leaked to a mercury watchdog group. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

FATALITY FEARED AT BARRICK'S LAWLERS MINE

MiningNews.net - 28 January 2003 - A female pit technician is missing at Barrick Gold's Lawlers gold mine near Leinster in Western Australia following a rock fall in the Fairyland openpit yesterday afternoon. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

FAULTY METHANE CHECKING MAY BE TO BLAME FOR EXPLOSION AT CONSOL MINE

EnviroLink Services - 26 January 2003 - Investigators say that Wednesday's fatal explosion in a ventilation shaft at the McElroy Mine in West Virginia may have occurred because workers failed to properly monitor methane levels at the bottom of the 940-foot-deep hole. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

ACCIDENT PROMPTS STRICTER MINE ENFORCEMENT

Lycos News (ENS) - 22 January 2003 - The Mine Safety and Health Administration (MSHA) is taking steps to strengthen enforcement of regulations covering mine waste impoundments, following an accident that sent millions of gallons of liquefied coal waste into Kentucky's Big Sandy River in 2000. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

STATEMENT BY ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF LABOR FOR MINE SAFETY AND HEALTH ON EXPLOSION AT MCELROY MINE IN MOUNDSVILLE, W.VA

EnviroLink Services - 22 January 2003 - Following is a statement by Dave D. Lauriski, assistant secretary of labor for mine safety and health, regarding the explosion at the McElroy Mine in Moundsville, W.Va. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

CONSOL MINE BLAST KILLS THREE, INJURES THREE

MiningNews.net - 23 January 2003 - A methane gas explosion in a shaft at Consol Energy's McElroy coal mine in West Virginia has killed three workers and injured three others, who were rescued from 275m underground. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

CHINA MOVES TO REIN IN UNRULY, EXCESSIVE MINING

Planet Ark - 17 January 2003 - China's Ministry of Land and Resources said yesterday it has delegated control of its mining programme to provincial governments for the first time to improve the efficiency of the unruly sector. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

MONODELPHOUS WORKER KILLED AT WESTMET'S KAPOK MINE

MiningNews.net - 16 January 2003 - A 53-year old man has been killed in an accident at Western Metals' Kapok mine near Fitzroy Crossing in Western Australia. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

MINERS MISSING AFTER CHINESE MINE BLAST

BBC News - 11 January 2003 - An explosion in a Chinese coal mine has left at least 30 miners missing only a day after a blast in another mine killed eight workers, local officials have said. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

CYANIDE USE IN MINING TARGETED

Denver Post - 10 January 2003 - Farmers, business interests, local governments and environmentalists want to ban cyanide in gold-mining operations in Colorado because they believe it poisons streams, wildlife and people. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

SAFETY AT ONGOPOLO DISPUTED

AllAfrica.com - 10 January 2003 - Ongopolo Mining and Processing company has denied charges of poor safety standards at its mines. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

GHANA GOLD MINE SPILLS INTO RIVER POLLUTED IN 2001

Lycos News (ENS) - 10 January 2003 - A river and communities poisoned by a cyanide spill from a gold mine in 2001 may have been hit by another spill from the same mining company. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

NO ACTION ON CYANIDE THREAT

AllAfrica.com - 08 January 2003 - No action has been taken to remove a dozen drums of highly toxic calcium cyanide discovered at an abandoned mine in the Namib Desert outside Swakopmund in October last year. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

HOLE OPENS AT BEAUTY SPOT

BBC News - 08 January 2003 - A 600-feet deep hole has appeared in a beauty spot in Shropshire. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

US MINE DEATHS AT RECORD LOW IN 2002

MiningNews.net - 03 January 2003 - The number of miners killed on the job in the United States during 2002 fell to the lowest level on record for the second consecutive year. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

CHINA REOPENS SMALL COLLIERIES

MiningNews.net - 02 January 2003 - China's Shanxi province has given 3771 "township" coal mines permission to resume production after they met new safety standards, according to state media. Further information can be obtained from the new article.

MANURE USED TO FIGHT ACID MINE DRAINAGE

EnviroLink Services - 01 January 2003 - Rarely does anyone advertise to buy 400 tons of cow manure, but that's what Bob Du Breucq did to get enough fertilizer for a water treatment project at a mine in central Pennsylvania. Further information can be obtained from the new article.