Company directors say that they will continue to expand with new "Cerro Blanco" project.
Almost two months since the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IAHCR) recommended to the Guatemalan government that Goldcorp's operations at the Marlin mine be suspended, the administration has ordered a review to determine whether or not a suspension is appropriate. Meanwhile, Goldcorp continues its operations in the country.
Goldcorp To Implement Human Rights Assessment Recommendations; Commits To Integrate Human Rights In Business Process
VANCOUVER, BRITISH COLUMBIA, June 30, 2010 – GOLDCORP INC. (TSX: G, NYSE: GG) today presented its initial response to the recently completed independent human rights assessment (HRA) prepared by On Common Ground Consultants Inc. The report is the result of an eighteen month assessment of how the Marlin mine which is operated by Montana Exploradora de Guatemala, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Goldcorp, has affected human rights, and whether the Company has in place and is implementing effectively policies and procedures to mitigate the risks of potential conflicts with international human rights standards.
The temporary suspension announced by President Alvaro Colom won’t take effect immediately.
Representatives from Goldcorp, owner of the mine, remarked that they will continue operating while the investigation takes place.
PrensaLibre.com printed statements by President Alvaro Colom: “We answered to the CIDH’s request, but there is a due legal and administrative procedure. The company has its rights, and the accusations still have to be proven”.
The government announced it will impose precautionary measures against Marlin gold mine; on the same day the minister of Energy and Mines resigned.
The Inter-American Human Rights Commission (CIDH) had required the government to temporarily shut down the mine, owned by Goldcorp, as a precautionary measure to prevent environmental and human rights damages, while they investigate the matter.
Guatemalan authorities stated that there is no evidence to substantiate alleged damage to the environment, and that they won’t shut it down unless the OAS orders it.
“Marlin is among mines in Guatemala established without full consultation of indigenous Maya residents, said Rural Unity Committee, a rights group. The Maya allege Marlin put metals in water supplies, damaging the health of local people, according to a University of Michigan study.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights has called on the government to shut the project, pending an investigation into alleged human rights abuses and environmental problems.
María-Isabel Rivero, commission press director, says the call to cease mining is obligatory in Guatemala. She assured that this is necessary to prevent the conditions from worsening in the year or two it would take to investigate the matter, should the alleged human rights and environmental concerns found to be valid.
Goldcorp INC. announced today the completion of its sale of the Escobal silver deposit in Guatemala to Tahoe Resources Inc. ("Tahoe").
Pursuant to the terms of the transaction, Goldcorp received an aggregate of 43,686,667 common shares of Tahoe, representing 40% of Tahoe's issued and outstanding common shares on a fully-diluted basis and $253 million in cash.
There is an unbeatable way to end with mining once and for all.
Sometimes the best way to rebut extreme ideas is to reduce them to the absurd. This is what Santos Gabino Carvajal does in an article published in Sigloxxi.com.
It must be noted that Gabino Carvajal has a large stake in the matter, as he is the president of the Honduran Metal Mining Association.
BacTech Gold Corporation signed a letter of intent to by the gold and antimony mine called “San Ildefonso Ixtahuacan”, for $19 million.
This mine started operations in 1969, and is currently operated by “Minas de Guatemala S.A.”, a subsidiary of Caribbean Resources Group Corporation.
According to the signed conditions, BacTech will have an 18 month period in which to exercise an option to purchase the asset, which includes approximately 500 hectares of land, a mill and associated equipment.
The South American country wants to make mining investments in Guatemala.
Jorge Mario Saavedra, Chilean ambassador in Guatemala, confirmed the information. Chile apparently wants to take advantage of the recently signed Free Trade Agreement between both countries.
“Saavedra added that ‘Chile has a rich mining tradition, we want to bring these investments to Guatemala’”, reported Sigloxxi.com.
Canada’s Supreme Court has ruled that Canadian mining corporations must conduct more detailed environmental impact studies.
Several mining companies from Canada operate in Central America. Some of them include Breakwater Resources (Honduras), Inmet Mining Corp (Panama), Petaquilla Minerals Ltd (Panama), B2Gold Corp (Nicaragua), Argonaut Gold (Guatemala) and GoldCorp (Guatemala and Honduras).
First part of the study "Contribution of the Mining Industry to Guatemala's Development 2009', by CIEN.
This study was developed by Sigfrido Lée and María Isabel Bonilla de Anzueto, researchers at CIEN (Center for Economic Investigations). It is the first of a series of studies analyzing the benefits and costs of the mining industry in Guatemala.
The first and current edition provides a description of the current state of the Mining Industry in Guatemala. It attempts to present facts and incite national discussion, in order to make mining an integral part of the country's development. It never attempts to suggest that a balance between economic development, society and environment has been reached, but, in order to have a reasonable social dialogue, the topic must be demystified, and tackled objectively.
Armstrong Equipment, Inc. is an American based company that specializes in the distribution to Latin America of equipment and parts used in the mining sector, rock crushing and asphalt paving.
Organization that operates in Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama
Phone: (305) 592 8361
The Energy, Mining and Economic commissions ruled on the Mining Law reforms.
Fredy Viana, a lawmaker from the Patriotic Party, commented that the ruling proposes that royalties be increased from one percent to three, depending on whether they are precious metals or not, and abolishes the initial recognition license, leaving only two types: mining exploration and exploitation.