Communities and Social Movements: News and Challenges to the Mining Industry
Communities and social/eco-justice movements challenging the mining/smelting industry:
www.minesandcommunities.org This is an essential source on news, organizations and resources regarding communities and social movements that are dealing with the impacts of mining. There is an extensive news archive, organized around key categories – women, workers, climate change, human rights, campaigns around the world and law and legislation. Mines and Communities was launched in 2001 and is guided by the London Mining Declaration (October 2008) which provides a critical view of the mining industry — its operations, financing and impacts – and challenges global financial institutions in their role of uncritical support. M&C invites other NGOs and civil society organizations to join them in their struggle.
www.moneytometal.org (linked to mines-and-communities) Tracking Global Mining Deals, this site provides a database of 900 banks, private funders, insurance companies, etc. that fund the mining industry. See “Mining the Money”, glossary and sources. The Mining Blog offers analyses like “A looming, copper-bottomed threat to communities” (January 2013) on the copper market, speculation, community-based exchange traded funds (ETFs) and the impacts of pushing for unwarranted copper mining expansion.
The Mines-and-Communities network includes organizations/sites such as:
www.mpi.org.au Mineral Policy Institute (Australia)
www.miningwatch.ca Mining Watch (Canada)
www.gn.apc.org/dte Down to Earth (England)
www.mmpindia.org Miners, Minerals and People (India)
www.cooperaccion.org.pe Cooperaccion (Peru)
www.nmjd.org/home/documents Movement for Justice & Development (Sierra Leone)
Other noted organizations/resources include:
www.nodirtygold.earthworksaction.org (focusing on gold mining worldwide)
www.groundwork.org.za Groundwork South Africa, environment including energy, mining, environmental health in Sub-Saharan Africa
www.blacksmithinstitute.org Global view. Features Top Toxic Threats (lead = #1), Top Toxic Sites – mining in Peru, backyard smelting in Senegal
www.culturalsurvival.org key resource on indigenous land rights struggles. See “Native Resistance to Mining Corporations in Wisconsin”
www.londonminingnetwork.org “Holding the Mining Industry to Account” Social movement response to mining/smelting/refining. June 2016 conference.. “Responsible Extractives Summit”… “Oxymoron Appreciation Society: Sick Joke or Serious Indictment of Industry?”
www.share-elsalvador.org/ourwork/advocacy/anti-mining-movement Creation of the National Working Group Against Metallic Mining in El Salvador. Information on health impacts, infant mortality in mining areas, water contamination, other impacts.
www.earthworksaction.org Valuable resource on Mining Law of 1872, reform efforts, water quality, environment and health impacts. 2004 report: “Dirty Metals: Mining, Communities and the Environment” (with section on “The Violence of Metals,” “How Mining Injures Women,” “The Toll on Indigenous People,” “Understanding the Rights of Workers” (report by Earthworks & Oxfam) See “Mining 101” – extensive issue coverage and key links. Search for “Lima Declaration” – report on 2010 gathering and document calling for an end to destructive mining and violation of indigenous peoples’ rights; link to full text of the Declaration.
www.wman-info.org Western Mining Action Network. 100 community-based organizations in the US & Canada dealing with the negative impacts of industrial scale mining. Includes organizations across the states such as Concerned Citizens & Retired Miners (AZ) and Copper Country Alliance (AK). Resources, news, strategies.
www.amazonwatch.org/news/more-about?tags=Mining Social justice movements in Amazon region struggling with the impact of mining corporations
http://upsidedownworld.org/main/peru-archives-76/4823-perus-conga-mine-conflict-cajamarca-won’t-capitulate Coverage of the struggle over the Conga Mine, owned by Newmont, one of the country’s most serious conflicts and human rights controversies.
www.ejatlas.org/ Environmental Justice Map – pollution, risks and resistance. Global map includes mining/ores. Connected to the Stop Corporate Impunity Campaign, organizing August 2016 Global Corporations resistance conference. Mining coverage especially in South America and Africa.
https://projects.icij.org/fatalextraction/ International Center for Investigative Journalism examines the toll mining takes and community/justice response. Analysis and advocacy with a focus on Australian mining corporations in Africa. Slide/video production.
http://strategiccorporateresearch.org/mining-resources/ This is a vital network, offering a collection of sites, both corporate and organizations challenging mining corporations. A helpful collection, intended to educate the public about mining finance, operations, political strategies and community conditions and responses. Strategic Corporate Research is based at the University of Massachusetts Labor Center.
www.publicintegrity.org/2011/11/17/7430/smelter-town-decades-dirty-air-disease-and-bureaucratic-dawdling Ctr for Public Integrity investigation “Poisoned Places”. This article examines Hayden AZ (Asarco mine/smelter): “In smelter town, decades of dirty air, disease and bureaucratic dawdling” with a focus on tension between EPA and AZ Department of Environmental Quality.
www.nwtoxiccommunities.org/members/idaho/silver-valley-community-resources-center A vital community center in one of the most extensive mining/smelter regions in the US. Founded 20 years ago, the Center is dedicated to educating people about the impacts of a century of mining, with persistent efforts to protect children from lead exposure.
www.industriall-union.org/sectors/mining International amalgamated unions, including International Metal Federation. United Steelworkers and mineworker unions, representing multiple unions, in different countries, dealing with a range of companies. Focus on working conditions, negotiations, contracts, global labor economy.