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How much is a river worth?

In December 2001 BHP Billiton washed is's hands of the disaster caused by its Ok Tedi mine.

For BHP to get out of its responsibility, Ok Tedi Mining Limited, the company that runs the mine, got villagers to sign legal agreements. These agreements let BHP out of Ok Tedi and pay limited compensation to the communities.

How much margarine is a River worth?
Compensatioin per month per person

The chart shows how much margarine per month a person can buy from the compensation payments. Bear in mind, that the food source of most of these people is destroyed by the operation of the mine. Find out more >>>

Read the whole story of how a company took away the sovereign rights of a country, leaving villagers carrying the costs here >>>
Aust. miners destablise Asia Pacific region
Australian corporate activities causing social and environmental harm in our Asia-Pacific neighbourhood don't just threaten affected communities. They also undermine Australia's international reputation, and regional security. The links below explain what we mean.

The destructive - and dangerous - behaviour of Australian mining companies overseas should be controlled by law, writes Geoff Evans >>

ABC Australia Radio National interviews MPI and EarthRights International on the topic of resource extraction in Burma and at Papua New Guinea, Ok Tedi. Real audio format. Listen here >>

Residents of Bougainville Island in Papua New Guinea (PNG) have filed a class-action lawsuit in the United States against Rio Tinto. The suit claims the company engaged in a joint venture with the PNG government to maintain a copper mine on the island, which resulted in international environmental violations and crimes against humanity stemming from a military blockade motivated by civilian resistance to the mine. Read about the Islander's case >>

"Economic globalisation has been described as imperialism on amphetamines..."
West Papua's infamous Freeport/Grasberg mine has been a major point of conflict in West Papuan's civil war with Indonesian government. Read a sample chapter from Moving Mountains which contextualises the struggle >>

Are there solutions? Read about the Corporate Code of Conduct Bill 2000 >>

Moving Mountains book cover image

Moving Mountains: Communities Confront Mining and Globalisation
Moving Mountains is the latest publication from the Mineral Policy Institute, Australia. Get a feeling for the book by reading a sample chapter about repressive mining in West Papua. This new book is about people around the world challenging the power, priorities and practices of global mining corporations. More information >>
Features
Submarine Tailings Disposal (STD)
STD is Submarine Tailings Disposal - the disposal of dangerous mine waste into the ocean. This waste disposal is polluting coastal environments at several operating STD mines in the Asia Pacific. It has been imposed on a number of communities in the region without their informed consent.

STD is used more and more by mining companies from rich countries in their operations in poorer countries, where they can often get around environmental restrictions and are not accountable to local communities. STD is effectively illegal in the USA, Canada and Australia. The world's biggest mining companies like Newmont, Placer Dome, Rio Tinto and BHP are based in these wealthy countries. Yet these same companies are operating or planning STD at mines throughout the Asia-Pacific region that would clearly not be permitted in their own countries.

Above: Satellite view of mine waste at Lihir, revealing a plume of turbid water in Luise Harbour, caused by the mine.
  • More about STD >>
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    Mining in protected areas
    The mining industry's global umbrella body, the International Council on Metals and the Environment (ICME) - which includes BHP, Placer Dome, Western Mining Corporation and Pasminco as members - is pressing the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) to allow mining and mineral exploration in existing World Heritage areas.

    Rio Tinto is exploring for gold within the boundaries of a protected forest reserve in Indonesia, and plans to develop a gold mine there despite community opposition and environmental concerns. Rio Tinto is dismissive of opposition and admits lobbying the government to move the boundary of the reserve to excise the project area.
  • More about Mining in protected areas >>
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