Gold

Thursday, June 4, 2009

Gold is often co-mined with copper, molybdenum and uranium. Main reserves of gold can be found in South Africa, Tanzania, Mali, Ghana, USA, Australia, Canada, China, Chile, Peru, and Brazil. Gold is extracted via large scale open pit mining or underground mining.

Gold mining produces a large amount of waste. Up to 6 tonnes of rock must be processed to obtain one gram of gold. Cyanide or mercury are the most common substances used to extract gold from the rock.

Gold
Tuesday, November 15, 2011

In a letter to British Columbia Premier Christy Clark today, 36 scientists asked for her leadership to balance impending industrial development in northwest B.C. with the outstanding fish, wildlife and ecological values of this largely pristine region. Of particular concern are the impacts to clean water and salmon runs in B.C. and southeast Alaska. Spurred by BC Hydro’s Northwest Transmission Line (NTL), which has received environmental approvals, the rush is on to build mines, river-diversion hydroelectric dams and coal-bed methane energy projects that could radically transform the region.

Thursday, November 3, 2011

The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has told affected First Nations, local residents and public interest groups that the review of the proposed Elmtree Gold Mine is on hold. As reported in regional media, Castle Resources needs to re-assess the economics of the project before proceeding with the development of it's Environmental Impact Statement. Citizens of the area are not letting their guard down and they continue to resist the proposal. In September, they sent a letter to the company indicating their strong opposition to the project.

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

The Tsilhqot’in Nation, supported by BC and national chiefs, today called on the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency (CEAA) and the federal government to reject the re-bid Prosperity mine project without further waste of time and tax dollars.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

The Theory and Practice of Perpetual Care of Contaminated SitesIn fall 2010, Alternatives North hired Dr. Joan Kuyek to do a study. Giant Mine in Yellowknife has 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide to take care of. There is a plan to freeze this arsenic, so it can’t leak out and hurt the people and the land. For the Environmental Assessment of this plan, Alternatives North asked for a study of how contaminants are managed in other places.

Friday, July 15, 2011

In the struggle to protect their water supply against Canadian-led gold mining, Salvadorans have had to fight for their lives and for their democracy. An excellent article by Robin Broad and John Cavanagh originally published in The Nation.

Friday, March 25, 2011

Declaration - A statement from the Colombian Network Against Large Scale Transnational Mining, RECLAME, following Greystar Resources's decision to withdraw its request for an environmental permit for its Angostura project in the Colombian páramos of Santurbán. The decision comes on the heels of mobilizations in the city of Bucaramanga in which tens of thousands of people participated. RECLAME calls on Colombian authorities to ensure that these and other páramo ecosystems within the country are protected from mining activities, according to Colombian law. An estimated 108,972 hectares of páramo - a fragile high altitude wetland ecosystem - currently fall within concessioned areas.

Monday, March 7, 2011

Joint news release with EARTHWORKS: First Nations and environmentalists are urging a major international financial institution to say "no" if Taseko Mines Ltd. seeks funding for its revised proposal for the open-pit Prosperity mine, which would threaten the traditional way of life of the Tsilhqot'in people and a celebrated trout lake high in the Chilcotin Mountains of British Columbia.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Since the federal government's refusal to approve its Prosperity Gold-Copper Mine project, Taseko Mines Ltd. has maintained that the project was not dead and that they would find a way to see it through. Press releases and communications have included comments about needing to better understand the concerns of First Nations and federal regulators – despite these being clearly and precisely detailed in numerous submissions to the review panel and in the panel’s final report.

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Tsilhqot'in National Government news release: The Tsilhqot'in National Government today welcomed the pledge by the Assembly of First Nations’ Chiefs-in Assembly to “stand behind the Tsilhqot’in Nation in defence of these lands regardless of the decision made by the Federal Government.”