Publication

Boreal Forest’s Wildlife and Communities Threatened by Impacts from Exploration, Mining – Revised 'Boreal Below' Report

Joint news release with Northwatch: A major new report highlights serious impacts on the Canadian boreal forest from all phases of mining activity, from exploration to closure. Two respected mining industry watchdogs – Northwatch and MiningWatch Canada – say they published The Boreal Below (an all-new and expanded version of a widely circulated 2001 report) in response to growing demand from communities across Canada for information and analysis to help understand the impacts of mining on their lives and livelihoods. It provides a carefully-documented analysis of the social, environmental, and cultural impacts of mining from prospecting to mine closure, as well as an overview of the current situation by province and territory.

Guest Publication

Environmental Aspects of Phosphate and Potash Mining

Published by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the International Fertilizer Industry Association, this document is a bit optimistic about the impacts of potash mining, but provides a decent overview.

Publication

Mining Investors: Understanding the legal structure of a mining company and identifying its management, shareholders and relationship with the financial markets

Communities dealing with the impact from mining activities (whether at the claim-staking, exploration, development, operating, closure, or restoration/rehabilitation stage) find themselves confronted by a legal entity they may not understand, making demands that are contrary to the desires of the community, and giving reason for its behaviour that they do not know how to counteract.
Presentation

The Social Licence to Mine: Passing the Test

MiningWatch Presentation to Montreal Roundtable

Whether they bother with the Cyanide Code or the UN Global Compact or the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, or contract high-priced public relations consultants, or buy support from naïve NGOs and corrupt local officials, or actively divide communities, or rely on good old-fashioned intimidation, it is clear that most mining companies – from the largest global players to the smallest exploration juniors – are willing to do whatever they can get away with to reward their shareholders with juicy returns.

Guest Publication

Acid Mine Drainage: Mining and Water Pollution Issues

Acid Mine Drainage (AMD) is the biggest environmental threat from mining in British Columbia. Water resources are particularly affected. This report introduces issues, profiles key sites, and identifies outstanding concerns. Published by BC Wild and Environmental Mining Council of BC.

More Precious Than Gold: Mineral Development and the Protection of Biological Diversity in Canada
Guest Publication

More Precious Than Gold: Mineral Development and the Protection of Biological Diversity in Canada

Across Canada, those seeking to protect biodiversity and those seeking mineral wealth have often ended up looking up the same valleys. Mineral development - from exploration to mine closure - poses some unique challenges and concern. This discussion paper lays out some of the primary issues and concerns related to mining in protected areas from a biodiversity-protection perspective. It provides an overview for those concerned about mining and environment conflicts, and raises questions about future directions.

Publication

Effects of Mining on Women’s Health in Labrador West

In 2004 MiningWatch Canada partnered with the Labrador West Status of Women Council and the Femmes francophones de l’Ouest du Labrador on a joint effort to explore community women’s own perceptions of the effects on their health from living in a mining town. The final report for this project, in both official languages, was launched in Wabush/Labrador City on February 15, 2005. The results provide insight into specific areas of concern for women regarding their health, but clearly also point to potential impacts from mining on community health that need to be better understood.

Brief

Comments on the Comprehensive Study Report on the Victor Diamond Mine at Attawapiskat

The Victor project should be delayed until Attawapiskat First Nation and the communities in the Mushkekowuk Council region have created the capacity, land use planning and education to benefit from the profits from the mine over generations. Regulatory Authorities (RAs) and the Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency have a responsibility to find that there are "significant environmental effects" from the project and to address the impacts of these environmental effects on the lives of the First Nations people who depend on the environment affected by the mine. The need for an independent assessment of the mine's impacts is great enough to require a panel review.

Protecting Fish/Protecting Mines - What is the real job of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans?
Publication

Protecting Fish/Protecting Mines - What is the real job of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans?

This report, "Protecting Fish/Protecting Mines - What is the real job of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans?", shows how the Department of Fisheries and Oceans -- the federal agency mandated to manage and protect fish and fish habitat in inland waters -- has allowed extensive destruction of fish habitat from mining development, ignoring its own mandate as well as public concern and advice from independent scientists.

Guest Publication

Mineral Exploration in Nitassinan: A Matter of Respect. Innu Nation Guidelines for the Mining Industry

In 1995, the unprecedented pace of mineral exploration in Nitassinan following the announcement of the nickel find at Emish (Voisey’s Bay) quickly overwhelmed the ability of the Newfoundland government to effectively regulate or monitor exploration activity. Over 280,000 claims were staked and several dozen exploration companies descended on Nitassinan in the space of a few months—all without Innu consent.

Understanding Mining Taxation in Canada

The astonishing cost of the minerals we take for granted must be respected and accounted for in government policy and industry practice. This means treasuring the minerals that have already been extracted and reducing the need for mining wherever possible. Many more jobs and more sustainable economies can be created in the minerals industry if the focus shifts from mining to the re-use of minerals already taken from the ground and to value-added production in Canada.

 

No Rock Unturned: Revitalizing the Economies of Mining Dependent Communities
Publication

No Rock Unturned: Revitalizing the Economies of Mining Dependent Communities

This document, which includes a literature review and bibliography, provides an overview of current research and information on problems faced by mining-dependent communities and the ways and means by which Canadian communities that are dependent on mining have been able to revitalize their economies in the face of industry down-sizing and closure. The scoping exercise serves four key purposes:

Overburdened: Understanding the Impacts of Mineral Extraction on Women's Health in Mining Communities
Publication

Overburdened: Understanding the Impacts of Mineral Extraction on Women's Health in Mining Communities

This is a comprehensive literature review prepared by CCSG Associates for MiningWatch Canada. The purpose of the review is to provide information to help heal and protect women, their families, and their communities from the adverse health impacts of mineral extraction by enhancing the level of knowledge about the impact of mining on women's health; and developing the capacity of women in mining communities to protect themselves and their families from the effects of mining. May 2004.

Publication

Looking Beneath the Surface: An Assessment of the Value of Public Support for the Metal Mining Industry in Canada

The cost to federal taxpayers for the care and feeding of the metal mining industry has increased to $383 million a year, while the industry is delivering in return fewer jobs and reduced economic activity, according to this report by MiningWatch Canada and the Pembina Institute. "Looking Beneath the Surface" quantifies both the public costs to support the metal mining industry and the benefits generated by the industry in fiscal years 1994-95 and 2000-01.

Publication

Submarine Tailings Disposal Toolkit

STD Toolkit - introSubmarine Tailings Disposal ("STD" in industry jargon) is the practice of dumping mine tailings into the sea through a submerged pipe. It is a serious and growing threat to ocean ecosystems especially in the Pacific. This package brings together case studies and background information on the ocean dumping of mine wastes. Published jointly by MiningWatch Canada and Project Underground, June 2002, in English and Indonesian (Bahasa Indonesia). Available as a series of PDF files.

Publication

After the Mine: Healing our Lands and Nations

Report from a workshop on abandoned mines sponsored by the Assembly of First Nations and MiningWatch Canada, Sudbury, Ontario, May 11-13, 2001: Abandoned mines are a serious and immediate danger to human health and the environment. They are already costing Canadians millions of dollars in clean-up, cancers, and lost fishery and farm income, and they stand to cost billions more. At least nine of these sites have been identified by DIAND on First Nations land. An unknown number of others are on lands of aboriginal use or interest. Frequently, communities find themselves downstream from toxic sites and are unable to assess the risk or potential damage which may be caused by the sites.