Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Cyanide and water to produce Gold in Argentina

http://www.aljazeera.com/programmes/activate/2011/09/201194145943274447.html Filmmaker: Rodrigo Vazquez Argentinians are used to hitting the streets to start revolutions, fight for their rights or overthrow governments. But now people are taking to the streets to protect the country's valuable water sources up in the Andean mountains from multinational mining companies. This film is made from within the anti-mining activist movement and will follow three teachers that have defeated a Canadian mining company and are now mounting a campaign against a Chinese one. "Historically, this region's never had enough water, so when a mining company comes to use 1,000 litres of water per second, we risk becoming a ghost town, disappearing, because it doesn't make sense to stay in a town without water, and I don't want to leave. I was born here, I love this land, and I will defend it." Gabriela Romano, activist Their preferred method of activism? Putting people on the streets to physically stop the heavy machinery from entering the town, training villagers and filming every protest.

Monday, June 6, 2011

Quebec Mining Conflicts from East to West, North to South | MiningWatch

Quebec Mining Conflicts from East to West, North to South | MiningWatch

The Algonquin Nation’s traditional territory straddles the Quebec-Ontario border extending along Quebec’s western border up the Gatineau and Ottawa River watersheds. The Algonquins have never signed a treaty and are not party to the James Bay and Northern Quebec Agreement, so there are no established protocols for consultation or participation in the review of mineral exploration or development projects in their territory.

• MiningWatch has engaged with three Quebec Algonquin nations currently struggling with mineral exploration projects in their territories. Wolf Lake and Eagle Village have been making efforts to constructively engage Matamec Explorations in negotiations. Unfortunately this junior company’s response to their enquiries has been dismissive. Matamec is hoping to cash in on the much-hyped rare earth elements boom and have identified a deposit they are hoping to develop, but have deferred all discussion of consultation to the Government of Quebec. Wolf Lake and Eagle Village have engaged MiningWatch to assist with communications and education on the issues associated with mining and processing rare earth elements as the company continues to downplay the environmental risks of the project.

• In 1991 the Algonquins of Barrière Lake signed a progressive agreement for management and revenue sharing in their traditional territory, which overlaps considerably with La Verendrye Wildlife Reserve (though a reserve in name, all manner of industrial and recreational uses are permitted). Unfortunately the Quebec and Federal governments have not honoured this agreement and now a mining company has staked claims in the heart of the hunting and fishing area of several Barrière Lake families. Upon learning about an exploration crew operating on the claims of Cartier Resources, community members successfully insisted the workers leave their territory. In a community meeting with MiningWatch, it was clear that many community members are adamantly opposed to mining in their territory. One woman described the need to deal with an exploration company and the potential impacts of mineral development as being like “another heavy pack put on the backs of the people that we now have to carry.”

• Despite having some assurances that their rights will be respected through the James Bay Northern Quebec Agreement, the Cree of Mistissini are calling on Quebec to recognize their call for a moratorium on uranium exploration and mining. While the community has resolutely rejected Strateco Resources’ proposed advanced exploration uranium project, the company continues to work in the area and promote its project to investors while understating community opposition to the project. Meanwhile, the government of Quebec has highlighted the project in recent announcements and documents about its ambitious and problematic “Plan

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Protests | Silver Mine | Titicaca | Peru Bolivia Border

Protests Silver Mine Titicaca Peru Bolivia Border
For more than two weeks, thousands of people have blocked an international border in Peru — and almost no one in the English-speaking world seems to have noticed.
The story has fallen through the cracks, but here's what's happening:
A proposed mining project on the shores of Lake Titicaca has provoked outrage among Peruvians. Protests are growing in the southeastern part of the country.
About 10,000 people gathered in the city of Puno this week, shouting "Mina no, agro si" (roughly "Mines no, farms yes"). Shops, schools and public transit all shut down.
The protests were sparked by the announcement that a subsidiary of the Canadian mining company Bear Creek would be allowed to build a silver mine near Lake Titicaca.
Titicaca is the highest navigable lake in the world and the largest lake in South America. The lake was considered sacred by the Incas and is a major tourist draw today.
The protesters say mining would pollute Lake Titicaca, the Desaguadero River and its tributaries. They are demanding the cancellation of all mining and oil concessions and the repeal of the decree that allows mining in the border area.
Bear Creek says the proposed project offers a "low-cost 'pure silver' mine" in a "mineral-rich nation with a favorable investment climate."
The Peruvian government said it would dispatch the military to control the protest and clear the road linking the two countries.
Bolivian businessmen estimate they have lost between $7 million and $16 million because of the blockade. The president of the Chamber of Exporters of Bolivia, Goran Vranicic, told Efe that daily losses total $1 million.
The protest began on May 9 with the closing of the Desaguadero border crossing. The route is still blocked with

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Quick Facts-Apella Resources Inc. - The Vanadium Leader

Quick Facts-Apella Resources Inc. - The Vanadium Leader

The decision of the Quebec court arises out of a staking rush over the prized Lac Dore claims in August, 2007. At that time Apella and another competing party sought to stake the same claims covering the Lac Dore deposit. In January, 2010, the MRNF issued a decision awarding nine claims to Apella and two claims to the competing party while refusing to award the remaining claims to either party. Apella appealed the decision of the MNRF and on February 23, 2011 the Honourable Francois Godbout, J.C.Q. awarded the sought after nine claims to Apella.

Patrick D O’Brien, ICD.D, Apella’s Chief Executive Officer commented “this is precisely the outcome we sought, nothing more, nothing less. Judge Francois Godbout, J.C.Q. made a just and appropriate decision which now allows Apella to expeditiously focus on the development of the Lac Dore. In concluding this lengthy multi-year process Apella has rightfully gained entitlement for its shareholders to the near entirety of the Lac Dore, notably, the world’s second largest vanadium deposit. Apella’s Board and Management wish to extend their sincere gratitude to all of the planners, stakers, geologists, legal advisors, and consultants; and especially our patient and devoted shareholders for standing by and supporting us through this long but achievable undertaking. Our goal has been achieved.”

Vanadium to revolutionise green energy

Vanadium to revolutionise green energy | International Mining
as relating to the 2010 Canadian Supreme Court Decision of Quebec Vs. Moses ,effecting vast lands in Northern Quebec, where a modern treaty with the Cree had to be negotiated. Chibougamau,Quebec.

By Marc Davis, www.BNWnews.ca The ‘Holy Grail’ of renewable energy - grid scale power storage - appears to be finally within reach. So is the ability to make electric cars far more practical or user-friendly. This is why the world’s most influential leaders, ranging from US President Obama to the Premier of China and even famed multi-billionaire Warren Buffet, are all heralding vanadium. Governments the world over are directing billions of dollars of grants into vanadium’s fast-emerging role in the electrification of society’s energy supplies. And major corporations are likewise investing in this ‘next big thing’ in the hopes of addressing global warming and society’s dependence on dwindling fossil fuel reserves.By way of explanation, a new generation of advanced green batteries is set to do everything from beefing up electric cars to providing uninterrupted solar and wind power to whole cities. That’s because of a crucial new battery ingredient, vanadium, which can cost-effectively supercharge batteries of any size, even ones so big they have to be housed in substations for large-scale power grid usage. Most significantly, vanadium-enhanced batteries can store prolific amounts of energy, which solves the major drawback of alternative energy. For instance, solar power currently cannot be harnessed for use when the sun doesn’t shine, and at night-time. Likewise, the electricity generated by wind turbines presently goes to waste when the wind stops blowing or when the wind speed is too high or too low.

The only limitation to this breakthrough battery technology is the scarcity of the planet’s economically viable vanadium deposits. So the world’s few primary vanadium producers will be pressed to their very limits in trying to satisfy a looming year-on-year exponential surge in demand for this increasingly invaluable 21st century metal. That’s great news for a tiny handful of mining companies around the world that control these limited mineral resources, according to Bill Radvak, CEO of American Vanadium Corp.

With extensive vanadium rich land holdings in Nevada, American Vanadium is developing what promises to be the only vanadium mine in the US. Not only is it expected to be a low-cost operation but the project’s location is also another major competitive advantage, according to Radvak. That’s because the world’s largest economy has to import the majority of its annual vanadium needs. “The US gets most of its domestic vanadium supplies by way of a byproduct of oil refining. But it’s expensive to extract,” Radvak says. “And the rest comes from such politically problematic jurisdictions as Russia, South Africa and China - all of which account for about 90% of the world’s reserves.”

He adds that North America’s automotive and battery manufacturing industries are very concerned about the possible disruption of long-term supplies when dealing with these overseas vanadium producers. Even President Obama has expressed serious concerns about supplies of strategic metals needed for green batteries.