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Archive > Jan-Aug 1999
NEWS ARCHIVE
January - August 1999
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Title: Seabed minerals (3)
Source: International Seabed Authority
Sent by: minerals.forum@unctad.org
Date: 8/25/99
Details
KINGSTON, 19 August -- A proposal to identify gaps in knowledge
about the environmental impact of deep-seabed mining, and to
draw up a plan for gathering such data, was placed this morning
before the Council of the International Seabed Authority, meeting
in Kingston.
The recommendation was made by the Chairman of the Council's
Legal and Technical Commission, Jean-Pierre Lenoble (France).
It arose from the Commission's study last week of proposed guidelines
on environmental monitoring of seabed activities developed by
a workshop on this topic convened by the Authority at Hanya,
China, in June 1998.
The proposal on environmental data relating to deep-seabed
mining was the main recommendation of a report made today by
the Chairman of the Legal and Technical Commission on the six
meetings it held in Kingston last week as part of the current
three-week session of the Authority.
The Commission recommended that the Authority launch a cooperative
international programme to promote research on the marine environment,
assess its sensitivity to possible impacts from deep-seabed
activities and ensure its protection. States and international
organizations would fund participating scientific institutions.
In view of the scant knowledge about environmental impacts,
the Commission recommended that the Authority's secretariat
should prepare a study on the matter for next year's session.
This study would "identify repositories that collect environmental
data required to monitor the impact of activities in the [international
seabed] area, identify existing gaps, formulate a plan for the
retrieval of appropriate data from such sources, and make recommendations
for the development of a database for the analysis and synthesis
of such data".
Chairman Lenoble said the Commission had begun studying the
Sanya workshop's proposed guidelines for assessing environmental
impacts and would continue its examination next year. The proposals
were seen not as regulations but as guides that a mining contractor
could follow, depending on circumstances.
The Commission also repeated a recommendation it had made last
August, that the Authority convene a workshop on minerals other
than the polymetallic nodules on which it has concentrated since
its inception. The Chairman observed that a workshop on seabed
mining technologies, held in Kingston from 3 to 6 August, had
given an interesting insight into massive sulphide deposits
and gas hydrates. "Because of the high metal value contained
in some of the massive sulphide deposits that have been discovered",
he added, "it was noted that, in the next few years, it
is possible to see some attempts for commercial exploitation
of such resources."
The observer from the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission
of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization
(UNESCO) pledged its support and cooperation, especially in
the following areas: examining the impact of exploration or
exploitation activities on biodiversity and ecosystems in the
marine environment; studying the risks of marine pollution and
establishing standards for its prevention and control; sharing
of oceanographic data; co-sponsoring seminars, workshops and
training programmes, and coordinating work programmes to avoid
duplication of effort. (For more news on the seabed mining code
discussions, see http://www.natural-resources.org/law/news.htm)
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PNG ASKS WORLD BANK TO EXAMINE OK TEDI
Reuters reports
that the government of Papua New Guinea has asked the World
Bank to set up an independent team to look into the Ok Tedi
mine (see other report below). The mine's major shareholder,
Broken Hill Proprietary,
is considering closing the mine, which would have major repercussions
for the country's economy. Saying that it would be improper
for any decision to be made on the mine without a comprehensive
and independent study, Prime Minister Sir Mekere Morauta described
the study's focuses as the environmental impacts of the mine
and its social and economic impacts locally and nationally.
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Title: Philippine Minerals Industry Code of Conduct
for the Environment
Source: Business and the Environment
Sent by: Andrew.Parsons@unep.fr
Date: 8/19/99
Details
Some 19 domestic and multinational mining companies have signed
the code of conduct, which was adopted in February 1999. It
is modelled on the Minerals Council of Australia's code. See
http://www.vasia.com/comp/
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Title: South African marine diamond miners prepare draft
environmental guidelines
Source: http://www.bday.co.za/99/0817/company/c4.htm
Sent by: Andrew.Parsons@unep.fr
Date: 8/19/99
Details
Eight members of the South African Marine Diamond Mines Association
- including De Beers Marine, Diamond Fields SA, Benguela Concessions,
Alexkor and Trans Hex - sponsored a study on environmental guidelines
for governing sea diamond mining operations in future. The study
was compiled from a number of environmental impact assessments,
Department of Minerals and Energy guidelines, government green
and white papers on minerals and mining policy, the draft white
paper for sustainable coastal development and international
practices. "We are pleased to see industry captains taking
it upon themselves to regulate the industry on behalf of the
government," said Louis Selekane, of the Department of
Minerals and Energy.
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Title: Seabed minerals (2)
Source: International Seabed Authority
Sent by: minerals.forum@unctad.org
Date: 8/16/99
Details
KINGSTON, 11 August -- The Council of the International Seabed
Authority, continuing its series of informal meetings in Kingston,
proceeded this afternoon with its examination of the draft mining
code for exploration for polymetallic nodules in the deep seabed,
taking up the four annexes to the text. Before considering the
annexes, the Council discussed proposals to add to the main
body of the regulations clauses extending a seabed contractor's
liability for environmental damage to six months after expiry
of its contract, and authorizing Authority inspectors and coastal
State observers to ensure compliance with environmental undertakings.
The proposals that the Council discussed this afternoon consist
of additions to regulations 27 and 29. As they stand, these
regulations would hold seabed contractors responsible and liable
for any environmental damage arising from wrongful acts in the
conduct of exploration operations, and authorize coastal States
to apply to the Authority for preventive steps when they had
clear grounds for suspecting serious harm.
The first addition proposed by one delegation would extend
the contractor's liability for environmental damages for up
to six months after completion of the exploration phase, while
it acts to finalize a contract for exploitation. In a case where
the contractor did not continue exploration or apply for exploitation,
it would have to notify the Authority before removing its equipment,
whereupon the Authority could send inspectors to the site in
order to certify that the contractor's undertakings to preserve
and protect the environment had been fulfilled. A related addition
would allow a coastal State to appoint an observer to take part
in the inspectors' activities.
In response to these proposals, a number of delegations were
wary of limiting the period of liability to six months, as that
might seem to release contractors from responsibility if the
results of damage became evident only afterwards. One delegation
suggested that the paragraph could be reworded to allude to
any time in the future "as long as harm is caused by the
activities of exploration".
One delegation did not see the practicality of inspecting a
site after exploration ended. With regard to enabling coastal
States to observe the inspection, the issue of confidentiality
was raised, as some coastal States could be land-based competitors
of the contractor.
It was agreed that delegations should have time to consider
the proposals and that, in the meantime, the secretariat should
prepare a new formulation based on the comments expressed. (For
more news on the seabed mining code discussions, see http://www.natural-resources.org/law/news.htm
)
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BHP "SHOULD NEVER HAVE BECOME
INVOLVED" IN OK TEDI
Environment News Service reports
that, following the release by Broken
Hill Proprietary (BHP) of reports confirming severe environmental
impacts of mine wastes dumped in Papua New Guinea's Ok Tedi
River, BHP's managing director and CEO, Paul Anderson, said
that it "should never have become involved" in the
mine. Describing Ok Tedi mine as an "an environmental catastrophe",
Stephen D'Esposito, president of the Mineral
Policy Center called for a global ban of river and sea dumping
of mine tailings.
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Title: Seabed minerals
Source: MINERAL RESOURCES FORUM
Sent by: minerals.forum@unctad.org
Date: 8/11/99
Details
New ideas to protect the deep seabed from environmental harm,
and to regulate prospecting for deep-sea mineral deposits whose
economic potential has only recently been brought to public
attention, form the backdrop for the fifth session of the Internati
onal Seabed Authority, meeting at Kingston from 9 to 27 August.
The 131-member Authority is on the verge of completing its
first reading of formal regulations governing exploration for
polymetallic nodules in the international seabed area, a topic
on which its 36-member Council will concentrate starting next
week. While a substantial part of this so-called Mining Code
is aimed at ensuring that the marine environment is not unduly
harmed by such activity, the Authority’s Legal and Technical
Commission will examine additional detailed guidelines for assessing
the potential environmental impacts, especially on living organisms
in the deep ocean. Details available at http://www.isa.org.jm/
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IFC PUBLISHES COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
GUIDE FOR COMPANIES
The International Finance Corporation,
a member of the World Bank
group, has published a draft Community
Development Guide for Companies. Entitled "Investing
in People, Sustaining Communities through Improved Business
Practice", it is intended to serve as a ‘how to’ guide
to help IFC clients and other companies set up effective community
development programmes to channel benefits to the communities
located near or affected by their operations. Over the coming
months, IFC will also develop case studies of community development
work being done by IFC clients, and re-release an updated version
of the guide complete with case studies.
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UNEP INFORMATION ON Y2K PREPAREDNESS
Concerned about lack of preparedness for the potential threat
of computer systems malfunctioning on 1 January 2000, UNEP,
in partnership with the Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development and other international
organisations, has provided
a checklist of procedures to follow and a list of information
sources on what industrial plants can do to prepare themselves.
The problem is that computers, and the embedded microchips which
today are used in virtually all electronic equipment, may not
recognize the change of date from 31 December 1999 to 1 January
2000. This could result in all kinds of unpredictable commands
to, and actions by, equipment controlled by computers and chips.
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Title: Recent Developments in Mining and the Environment
in Canada
Source: Natural Resources Canada
Sent by: Hélène Jetté hjette@NRCan.gc.ca
Date: 8/9/99
Details
Partnerships between the resource industry and stakeholders
are critical in developing an environmental management program.
Aboriginal communities need a different approach than non-aboriginal
communities. Their perception of the environment is sometimes
different than for non-aboriginal. The bottom line is the emphasis
on the importance of the consultation process - the need for
specific training, for Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal peoples
working at the mine, to understand and respect each others'
culture, but also for management - the need for a different
approach to consultation, etc.
In Canada, during the last year, we went through a country-wide
consultation process called Federal/Provincial/Territorial Review
of Environmental Regulations Affecting Mining in Canada (Internet
addresses follow). One of the main observation was that there
is a need for improved communication / collaboration / cooperation
within and between jurisdictions and with stakeholders.
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/pubs/fedrev-e.pdf
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/pubs/work-e.pdf
http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/pubs/overv-e.pdf
We are working to implement the recommendations of the Review,
in collaboration with federal and provincial departments and
stakeholders. One of our approaches is the development of a
mechanism called project facilitation. The idea is to anticipate
industry needs and requirements in order to facilitate environmental
assessment and permitting processes in relation to proposed
mineral development projects. The role of facilitator also entails
ensuring communication and cooperation between regulatory departments
and the preparation of coordinated policy responses.
Another thought is the need to implement "sustainable
development" for mining. Sometimes we still have to deal
with the old perception that mining departments have to be pro-mining
and that environment departments have to be anti-mining. The
precautionary principle and how to manage risks are also difficult
issues.
One of the objectives of The Minerals and Metals Policy of
the Government of Canada, Partnerships for Sustainable Development
(http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/sdev/policy-e.htm),
released in 1996, is to formulate a strategy for the sustainable
development of the Canadian minerals and metals sector.
Governments cannot implement sustainable development on their
own. Industry sometimes needs to communicate better. The notion
of stewardship is arising as a responsible use of the land.
One of the initiatives here is an inventory of practices by
the industry to conserve wildlife and its habitat. The Internet
address is: http://mmsd1.mms.nrcan.gc.ca/business/inventory/
Another bit of information is our Guide to Information Requirements
for Federal Environmental Assessment of Mining Projects in Canada
that we developed in collaboration with Environment Canada and
the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency. The Internet address
is: http://www.ceaa/gc.ca/publications_e/mining/guide_e.htm
Other issues that we need to tackle are 1) how to balance the
need for both protected areas and access to land (http://www.nrcan.gc.ca/mms/pubs/land-e.pdf),
2) cumulative effects assessments and its relation to land use
planning, and 3) how to integrate the two other components of
sustainable development i.e., social and economic considerations,
in the environmental and land-use decision making processes.
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WORLD CARBON EMISSIONS FALL
The Worldwatch
Institute reports that, for the first time since 1993, global
annual emissions of carbon from the combustion of fossil fuels
declined in 1998, by 0.5%. This is the first time that emissions
have fallen at the same time as the global economy has grown.
Economic growth last year was 2.5%. Worldwatch attributes the
turnaround to improved energy efficiency and falling coal use,
spurred by new efficiency standards and the removal of energy
subsidies. Also, much of the economic growth of the last two
years has come in information technologies and services, sectors
that are not major energy users.
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NEW STUDY ON MINING AND SUSTAINABLE
DEVELOPMENT
The International Institute
for Environment and Development has been commissioned by
the World Business Council for
Sustainable Development to carry out a scoping study on
mining and sustainable development. The aim is to produce a
workplan for a two-year exercise of analysis and consultation
that will culminate at the Rio+10 Summit in 2002. The IIED wants
to consult all stakeholders in the mining industry, including
NGOs, indigenous peoples organisations, academics, industry
bodies, trade unions and governments. For more information,
click here.
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CONFERENCE ON BETTER LINKAGES BETWEEN
ENVIRONMENTAL CONVENTIONS
The United Nations University
hosted Inter-Linkages
- the International Conference on Synergies and Co-ordination
between Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs) from 14-16
July 1999 in Tokyo, Japan. The purpose of the conference was
to promote a co-ordinated approach to environmental policy making,
given the multitude of international environmental conventions
and protocols in force today. The main outcome was a series
of recommendations on the promotion of inter-linkages between
MEAs in the areas of harmonisation of information systems and
information exchanges, finance, issue management, scientific
mechanisms, and synergies for sustainable development. For more
information, see the IISD summary
report.
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Title: Mountaintop Removal Mining Continues Apace in
West Virginia
Source: http://www.motherjones.com/mother_jones/JA99/mountaintop.html
Sent by: Gabor Szilagyi [Gabor.Szilagyi@rona.unep.org]
Date: 7/13/99
Details
The destruction caused by mountaintop removal mining in the
US state of West Virginia is once again the focus of media attention.
The impacts on the environment and communities are described
in this hard-hitting article.
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Title: De Beers Donates Land to National Park
Source: http://www.bday.co.za/99/0709/news/n14.htm
Sent by: Andrew.Parsons@unep.fr
Date: 7/13/99
Details
De Beers and South African National Parks have signed an agreement
to include parts of the company's Venetia Limpopo nature reserve
in the proposed Vhembe-Dongola National Park under SA National
Parks management. "The creation of the Vhembe-Dongola National
Park has been an objective for many years, based on the biodiversity
of the area, its scenic beauty and the cultural importance of
the archaeological treasures of Mapungubwe," SANP CE Mavuso
Msimang said.
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WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE ASKS FOR MORE
INFORMATION ON KAKADU
World
Environment News reports that the World Heritage Committee,
meeting in Paris, has asked the Australian government to submit
a progress report by 15 April 2000 on the cultural mapping of
the Jabiluka mine, the implementation of a social benefit package
for the Aboriginal communities of Kakadu, and details of the
output and scale of parallel activities at the Ranger and Jabiluka
uranium mines. It decided not to inscribe the site on the list
of World Heritage in Danger. The World
Heritage Convention is administered by UNESCO.
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Title: Environmental Research Information Exchange (ERIE)
Source: National Library for the Environment
Sent by: Kevin Hutton [khutton@cnie.org]
Date: 7/2/99
Details
The ERIE service provides a forum for researchers, educators,
resource managers, agency decisionmakers, foundation representatives,
journalists and others in all environmental fields to share
information and discuss issues. The service is located at: http://www.cnie.org/exchange.htm
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Title: BEST PRACTICE ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT IN THE
FIJIAN MINERAL INDUSTRY
Source: Fiji Mineral Resources Department
Sent by: David Laurence davidl@eng.unsw.edu.au
Date: 6/30/99
Details
A workshop was held on this subject in Suva, Fiji on May 11-14,
1998. The proceedings have now been published. They are a must
for any professional working in the minerals industry in the
Asia-Pacific region & a valuable resource for environmental
managers. For additional information, see: http://www.natural-resources.org/environment/miscdocs/fiji.htm
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NEW REPORT ON RISK MANAGEMENT OF TAILINGS
The United Nations
Environment Programme and the International
Council on Metals and the Environment have published, in
English and Spanish, the proceedings of their joint workshop
on "Risk Assessment and Contingency Planning in the Management
of Mine Tailings". The workshop was held in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, in November 1998.
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Title: New CD-ROM Exploration Training Module Launched
Source: Primary Industries and Resources South Australia
Sent by: Malcolm Bayly mbayly@msgate.mesa.sa.gov.au
Date: 6/28/99
Details
A CD-ROM training and induction program for environmental managers,
professionals, technicians, field operators and educators has
been released by the government of South Australia. Go to the
Business Directory page on this site for more information.
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Title: EH&S Adding Value to the Bottom Line
Source: Sustainable Business
Sent by: Steve Rice Rices@compuserve.com
Date: 6/10/99
Details
GEMI recently published an Economic Value Added (EVA) model
and primer which was discussed at the conference. One of the
model's premises is that Net Operating Profit After Taxes is
a poor tool to evaluate staff functions and the economic value
the operation brings to a company. This may be one reason that
many companies are reducing environmental management staffs.
The presenter indicated that tools such as environmental accounting,
activity-based accounting, environmental performance metrics
and perhaps a new SEC reporting tool are better measures of
staff function value. And all EH&S projects should be evaluated
by the value they add.
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Title: Underground coal fires in West Virginia
Source: http://www.nandotimes.com June 3, 1999
Sent by: Jim Sniffen sniffenj@un.org
Date: 6/10/99
Details
Throughout southern West Virginia, exposed coal seams can be
ignited by forest fires or lightning, then start burning underground
and pop out at some other outcropping and ignite more forest
fires. "It can cost hundreds of millions of dollars to
put out one of these fires," said Mike Richardson, an engineer
with the Abandoned Mine Lands section of the state Division
of Environmental Protection. Depriving the fire of oxygen is
impossible because there is no way to find all the fissures
that might be providing air. And removing the fuel - the coal
- also is next to impossible. The only method that really works
is to drill holes for explosives behind the area that is burning,
then blast the burning coal away from the rest of the seam,
pushing it over the side of the mountain.
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ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS OF OK TEDI "WILL
BE SIGNIFICANTLY GREATER THAN EXPECTED"
Preliminary results from recent environmental, engineering
and social investigations conducted as part of Inmet's
assessment of ways to improve the management of waste rock and
tailings at the Ok Tedi mine, reported by Canada
NewsWire, show that there are no clear solution to the environmental
impacts of the mine. New hydrological modelling predicts that,
over the next 10 to 15 years, the area currently experiencing
vegetation die-back will extend into forested areas along the
middle Fly River. However, early closure would severely affect
national and provincial economies and have significant impacts
on the social stability and well being of the affected communities.
The final report will be available in August.
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