Environmental groups and human-rights defenders argued against the increase in global development, particularly against mining in protested forests and on Indigenous land. The Melbourne Rainforest Action Group (MRAG) was joined by the Latin American Solidarity Network, Mapuche-Aboriginal Struggles for Indigenous Land and FrontLine Against Coal for three actions that took place over the week. Protestors … Read More
Author: MRAG
Mining disaster possible in Ecuador?
News reports on the 5th of September that mining company BHP has purchased a 6.1% stake in exploration company Solgold for $35m have raised concerns that another mining disaster in northern Ecuador could be possible if Solgold’s Cascabel gold/copper mine is eventually constructed. Environmentalists fear that a repeat of the BHP’s /Samarco tailings dam collapse … Read More
Mega-mining in Ecuador: the dream of a naive milkmaid
The fable tells the story of a milkmaid on her way to market carrying a pitcher full of milk on her head. On the way, she was thinking about what she would do with all the money she would receive from selling the milk: she would buy chickens that, when raised, would multiply and could … Read More
Lee Rhiannon questions AUSTRADE on mining in Ecuador
The destructive push into Ecuador’s rainforests and indigenous communities by several Australian mining giants, with the full support of Austrade, was questioned in the Senate Estimates Committee on Friday. BHP, SolGold, Fortescue, and Newcrest own more hectares of exploratory mining concessions in Ecuador than any other country. Many of these concessions overlap protected forests and … Read More
Australian mining under the spotlight
Quite apart from the ecological impacts of mining in forested areas, mining has significant environmental impacts, including long term contamination of soil and water sources, formation of sinkholes, and the production of large amounts of toxic waste, or tailings. Australia has strict regulatory watchdogs to ensure safe environmental practices. The news items below however, show … Read More
June News
Today, the Mayor of the Cotacachi Municipality in the Imbabura Province of Ecuador, issued a formal denunciation to BHP Billiton over their mining concessions in the area, with particular concerns over their transgressions in protected reserves and conservation areas. Mining concessions totalling 22,570 hectares were given to BHP in the Cotacachi Canton despite unanimous rejection … Read More
Mining Concessions in Ecuador
Many of the mining concessions being handed out in Ecuador are within protected forests and indigenous reserves in outright violation of Ecuador’s Constitution. No prior consultation occurred with affected communities. The degradation of protected areas, such as Bosques Protectores (Protected Forests), and the spread of mining roads and camps (and eventually mines) within the buffer zones … Read More
Clashes at controversial Ecuadorian mine – Rio Blanco
Heated clashes occurred between community members and security forces at Ecuagold’s Chinese owned Río Blanco mine this past week, with several arrests being made and reports that 3 leaders of the Ecuarunari, the national confederation of the Kichwa people, were abducted by mine workers. This mine is one of Ecuador’s five strategic mining projects and … Read More