by Gabriel Caplett
Tailings coverup/Uranium spills/Controversial Utah exploration/Salmon-Trout erosion/Aboriginal artifacts/New China partnership….
Kennecott under investigation for tailings cover-up
Kennecott is currently under investigation for covering-up, since 1988, the potential for a major earthquake-caused tailings disaster at the company’s tailings impoundment, in Magna, Utah. The impoundment holds roughly 1 billion tons of fine mine wastes.
Utah’s Dam Safety Inspector is siding with the company, although legislators, officials and the public are calling for an independent investigation, saying the company’s current data cannot be trusted.
The cover-up implicates the Utah State Engineer’s office and Kennecott officials, from 1988 up to the present.
For more information read NWR’s original article on the cover-up: http://www.northwoodswild.org/component/content/article/57-sulfide-and-uranium-mining-news/119-kennecott-hides-potential-for-deadly-tailings-disaster
Or visit the Salt Lake Tribune: http://www.sltrib.com/
Cameco criticized, in Wyoming, for “routine” uranium spills
Cameco Corporation has recently been criticized by the Wyoming Department of Environmental Quality (WDEQ) for its Smith-Highland Ranch uranium operations, north of Douglas. The in-situ mine is operated by Power Resources Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cameco.
The six-page investigation details several “long-standing” environmental violations, such as delays in restoring contaminated groundwater, “routine” spills and the existence of a bond grossly inadequate to cover full site restoration.
Company spokesperson, Gord Struthers claims the issues are related to poor company documentation and insists that Cameco is committed to the environment. According to Struthers, “It’s real hard to trumpet our values in this situation, but I think that over the years it’s pretty clear the company has been a solid performer. The environment is one of our top priorities.”
Kennecott attempting to explore for metals in newly-created public open-space
The Salt Lake Tribune is reporting that Kennecott Minerals is attempting to explore for minerals within a newly-created public open space, in Salt Lake County, Utah.
Salt Lake County officials spent $8.7 million for the 1,700 acre Rose Canyon Ranch, in the Oquirrh Mountains, in November, 2007. The purchase was made as part of a $48 million bond approved by voters for park and open-space development. The parcel, combined with the adjacent Yellow Fork Park, also owned by the County, and a BLM parcel creates a 4,000 acre preserved public open space.
Within one week of the purchase, Kennecott filed 70 mining claims with the BLM.
Although Salt Lake County now owns Rose Canyon Ranch, the BLM can grant Kennecott exploration access without the County’s consent.
Although Kennecott is currently being investigated for a 20-year cover-up of its Magna tailings facility, company representative, Erik Best, assured the Salt Lake County Council that “Kennecott has high environmental standards.”
Kennecott activities continue to cause sediment erosion into trout spawning habitat
A Sunday, April 6, trip to the Yellow Dog Plains ended shortly after the junction with the Triple A and Northwestern Road. The Spring melt, combined with Kennecott’s heavy truck traffic, has caused major road ruts and runoff, particularly at stream crossings.
One local camp owner recently contacted the DEQ about erosion occurring at the Northwestern crossing of a Salmon Trout River tributary, citing disruptions to trout spawning habitat.
Following the complaint, DEQ staff placed straw bales at the crossing and sent Kennecott a letter.
In Spring, 2005, a Salmon Trout River crossing washed out due to Kennecott’s activities, releasing 90 tons of sediment into the small river.
35,000 year-old Aboriginal artifacts located at Rio Tinto iron mine
Archaeologists in Australia have discovered ancient Aboriginal tools in the Pilbara region, in Western Australia. The artifacts, radiocarbon-dated to be at least 35,000 years old were found on the Hope Downs iron mine site, which is jointly-owned and operated by Rio Tinto and Gina Rinehart’s Hancock Prospecting.
The find represents one of the oldest prehistoric sites in Australia and will likely be considered an internationally-significant “prehistoric record of humanity.”
The local Martidja Banyjima people hired archeaologist Dr. Neale Draper, managing director of Australian Cultural Heritage Management Ltd., to investigate the site.
According to Draper, “We are thrilled at the test results. This is a major scientific discovery. It contains a large number of stone tools and it is one of the most data-rich ancient sites in Australia, with an exceptional amount of information about climate change through the last ice age, the earliest occupation of the Pilbara and North-West Australia.”
Archaeologists hired by the Aboriginal traditional owners have released the results of radiocarbon tests indicating that it is one of the oldest-dated sites in Australia and internationally significant as a prehistoric record of humanity.
Most of the tools, which appear to have been used for cutting, contain traces of organic matter that archaeologists believe will provide evidence of prehistoric food supplies and climate change.
Rio Tinto committed to China despite egregious environmental and human rights record
Rio Tinto is expressing an increased interest in working with Chinese state-owned enterprises (SOEs) in order to have great access to capital, engineering and technology for mine projects in Asia, Africa and South America. SOEs would include Chinese government-owned steel companies and investment institutions.
According to CEO, Tom Albanese, Rio Tinto wants to become the “partner of choice” for Chinese companies by forming “opportunities for cooperative relationships with senior Chinese SOEs on large-scale development” in “very remote locations that require a lot of infrastructure.”
Rio Tinto chairman, Paul Skinner, predicts that a US recession will not impact Rio Tinto’s output, due to strong economic growth in China and India: “The U.S. is now somewhat less important in world commodity demand than it was five years ago.” According to Skinner, “Projections for Rio Tinto’s main product groups, iron ore, aluminum and copper, suggest that demand could potentially triple over the next 25 years.”
Albanese asserted that, despite China’s egregious record on human rights and environmental degradation, Rio Tinto remains committed to working with the communist nation as a mineral supplier and joint-venture partner. Citing recent government crackdowns on protests in Tibet, Albanese stated, “I think it’s fair to say that every country has legacies that have to be confronted….It’s important not to isolate a country because it still has those legacies to resolve.”
Rio Tinto, itself, has been accused of human rights violations in Namibia, Chile, West Papua New Guinea, among other places. It is currently involved in a US District Court lawsuit concerning its role assisting the Indonesian military in killing and torturing citizens near is Grasberg Mine.
LSMN
Eve Divine
doncorvette
