contaminated stream leading from the NMGM to the Tigithe River

Once Upon a Water Source
30.11.09 – Musoma>Tanzania

She’s tending to her shamba, her farm, the farm is still here, but…a little discoloured in places, some banana trees and pineapple plants have wilted, some are fruiting, but she can’t eat them, or rather, she won’t eat them.

Susanna Solomon, 55, is slim and shy mother of 12 from Nyangoto village, situated in the rural Tarime district on the eastern side of Lake Victoria. She has been farming here for a long time and continues to do so even though she can’t use her produce.

“I was farming rice before,” she said, “but I can’t anymore because of the chemicals.”

The area we’re talking about was contaminated by a leakage from Barrick Gold’s North Mara Mine in May this year.

In large sections the grass has completely died, and plants and some vegetation have off-coloured stalks. The stream running from the mine site (just 100 or so meters away) has a green moss covering it, there is no sign of insects, tadpoles or frogs, and some crystallised plants stick out of the water, as if frozen or covered by salt.

“I was advised not to eat the vegetables I’m growing,” she said, “because you can be affected. I am still cultivating the land because otherwise I will lose it; so I am just here to hold the land.

“I am still waiting for compensation, but they haven’t said anything about (it).”

Monitoring by Barrick at the time of the seepage detected pH levels of 4.8 in the Tigithe River, which is far too acidic for fish to live in, and far under Tanzanian drinking water standards.

According to the local community the contamination has caused surrounding crops and animals and fish to perish. Many villagers have also complained of health problems, such as skin irritations and stomach pains as a result of drinking and bathing in the water.

Although some 700-1000 heads of cattle have allegedly died since the incident occurred, no one was able to back the statement up with evidence. Barrick claim that the accident happened only as a result of villagers stealing the PVC lining from the leach ponds on several occasions, to use as roofing for houses and shops. However, in the areas I visited, the lining was not evident.

Walking along the path to the river are many people, mostly women and children going to collect water from the Tigithe; from upstream though.

“We have always collected water from here, we live nearby,” says Esther Dustin, amongst 5 other women from the area. “Most people depend on the river for everything; for bathing, washing, drinking, and for cattle.
“We have been complaining about the water sine 2005, but this year was the worse. We have to use the water, because there is no other source, the Mara River is too far from here.”

–

Many villagers have visited health centres in the region complaining of skin irritations due to bathing in the Tigithe River, the results of their tests have yet to materialise.

Chacha Ochibhota is young, he’s 21 years old, he has a skin pigmentation covering his face, his eyes are bloodshot, he speaks quietly and moves slowly. His medical examination states that on the 1st of July, he claimed to ‘have used acidic water, contaminated by the mining project – sustaining burns on the face…’ Referring him to the Tarime District Hospital for further investigations.

“I started feeling the problems in May this year,” he said. “I have a farm near the Tigithe River. When it was hot and sweaty I would bath in the water and wash my face and body to cool down.

“It felt different, when I tasted the water, it didn’t taste normal, it was a salty taste, and it was the feeling of rubbing salt in wounds…

“I was referred to the district hospital, but because I had no money, I didn’t go.

“For me,” said Chacha, “I need only treatment, so I can do work. Now I can only lie in bed, or do soft work…”

–

The community state that Barrick are not compensating people fairly, if at all – and Barrick state that they are compensating people “handsomely”.

Gerhard Hermann, the Production manager for NMGM Ltd. says “We compensate them for their land, for crops on their land and also for any structures.

“We pay as if their entire property was planted with bananas (even if it’s not), we call that the ‘full banana concept’.”

No sick or displaced person appears to be taking direct action against Barrick.

“No one has laid any charges against us as far as I’m aware,” said Hermann. “(Because)…they have to have a case, and the fact that they’re not doing anything, makes you question if they really have a case or not.”

Barrick were not able to replace the lining completely until August this year; due to manufacturer delays, meaning that between May and August acidic liquid was soaking into the earth and leaking out into the environment unstopped.

“This is where we want to dig a trench, so if we ever have breach of the liners again we can pick up the seepage in a nice deep liner here and then pump it back into the ponds,” said Hermann

contaminated shambas

Currently, the water flowing from directly below the containment pond is at a pH level of about 4-4.5. Tanzanian drinking water standards are between 6.5 and 7.5.

According to Barrick, 10 meters downstream from where polluted water enters the river, the pH is back up to normal because of dilution.

Barrick claim to be operating on a zero-discharge policy, meaning that no water from the waste or leach ponds will enter into this environment. This process was explained to me while standing next to the leach pond looking up at the massive wall of the waste dump containing Potentially Acid Forming (PAF) material (sulphuric acid).

“Basically what it is, is an impervious layer, right at the bottom of high dense polyethylene plastic, 1mm thick, dense plastic, which the acid cannot penetrate through, we have a drainage system on top of that, and on top of that a waste dump.

“So any water percolating through the waste dump can only report to one place and that’s the pond, when it hits that liner, it can’t go anywhere else, the only place water from there can go from there is into the drainage pipe, and the only place those drainage pipes go to is a lined leach pond…once it reaches the leach-pond it is also completely contained.”

Unless of course something breaches it, which is what is said to have happened.

destroyed PVC lining for the ponds

—

“They are trying to put the blame on the community,” said Chacha Wambura, the executive director of Foundation HELP, an NGO based 100 km away in the town of Musoma. Wambura has been working to expose environmental issues around the NMGM and running awareness-raising and capacity building campaigns for the national community.

“People are not cooperating because they want justice to be done.

“The community can be aggressive, but the company (and the government) are not trying to alleviate problems.

“The government are backing Barrick 100 percent, without knowing it they are fueling their own graves; because this water flows into the Mara River, and discharges into Lake Victoria, and so many animals and humans will be affected by that.”

Mara River

N Mara Gold mine, Pit

Once upon a gold mine…
Musoma>Tanzania
29.11.09

Up in the mountains, surrounded by green grassy valleys and fields of maize, cassava and banana plantations, between scattered villages and townships, past herds of goats and cows, amongst flowing rivers and natural springs, on top of displaced peoples land, lies a gold mine.

The gold mine has some problems.

Gold exploration began here in 1993 after some foreign engineers discovered local artisans chipping away at some rock, “aha! They’ve struck gold! – We must buy this land!” they (may have) said.

And so they bought the land, or leased it, and evicted all of those – the Kurya’s (the local tribe) – who had been digging there long before the foreigners arrived on the scene.

local/s mining, NMara

The mine began production in 2002 and since then the lease has changed hands three times, and is now in the possession of Barrick Gold.

Barrick’s North Mara Gold Mine has been under constant attack for their performance socially, culturally and environmentally since they took over the lease in 2006; so much so, as they were nearly shut down earlier this year – due to a major acid leakage in May which caused abnormal pH levels in the local Tigithe River, of which some 6000 households rely on for all their domestic needs.

Community and company relations have never been warm here in the Tarime district, where the mine is located.

“When it started there were good relations,” said Daud Itembe, the chairman for the Matonga Village Council, “people were hoping that the mine would help development. After East Africa Gold Mines passed the lease to Placedon, the hope of citizens started to leave…

“Services that EAGM had started began to stop. And after Placedon passed (the lease) on to Barrick, the situation got worse. Barrick has not provided one single service to the local community. We see the mine as being useless, no one is benefiting from it.”

According to the local council there was an agreement that 1 percent of production revenue would go to the local municipality, however, they have yet to receive this money. Currently the North Mara mine is not making a cash-profit.

“The villagers provide (a lot of land) for the (tailings) dam, and the waste flows to the residential areas. They have asked to be compensated but nothing has happened. There has been no discussion between villagers and company to organise the 1 percent of revenue.” Said Itembe.

a part of nyangoto village lies at the bottom of the mine - the community refuses to move

“Barrick is here for business, not for good relations between them and the community.” said Lucas Cornel, the Village Executive Officer, in their council offices, which appears to double as a barn, the walls and floors are cracked and a donkey clops in, followed by a local citizen.

“They were brought here by the government and not by the community, they’re here for profit and nothing else,” said Cornel.

Despite some efforts by Barrick to implement a strategic plan with the community, according to the council, nothing is happening. “The community refuse to collaborate, they see (Barrick) as being a liar. We are tired,” said Cornel.

Walking around the base at one end of the mine, dodging puddles and mud, I talk to a local miner who comes here with his two young boys every day looking for gold. He is wearing gumboots, and I am envious because it has been raining heavily on and off all day.

“I’m looking for food,” Mogubo Mirumbe says sarcastically. “I’m looking for gold stones, for survival. “I don’t have any other income, no farm; it was taken by the mine in 2002. After that I have come here every day.

N Mara tailings

“I was given ‘tomato money’ for my farm- not enough. Here I earn between 1000 and 2000 Tsh per day (between US 75c and $1.5), depending on what I find. There are about 6-10 stones in a bag, which sells for 20,000 Tsh (in town).

“With my money from selling gold I bought 200 cattle, I have only 9 left, I think they died because of drinking this water,” he said pointing to a stream that flows out from the mine pits, (which I am later told by Barrick are natural springs situated under the mine uncontaminated by any waste).

In the last three years the North Mara Gold Mine has experienced regular intruders stealing and damaging goods like diesel, scrap metal, piping, and high-quality plastic lining from ponds from the site, adding to the tense relations.

security 4wd after some beatings

These incidents often result in security, police and community clashes, with the community wielding machetes and rocks, and the police armed with tear gas and live ammunition. Occasionally there are fatalities.

Every day there are hundreds of trespassers on the mine site, rummaging for gold. The security and police have been accused of accepting bribes to allow them to continue their work, or simply don’t care. Sometimes they step up their response and then conflict occurs.

When I visited the mine I did indeed see people scattered all over the site with buckets, tools and bags searching for bounty. A group of young girls who are sitting in hand dug holes start to run away as we arrive, however, noticing that we’re not security, they continue with their work.

We walk up onto the top of a rock pile and look down into the valley below. “Two things you need to see here,” says Gerhard Hermann, the South African Production Manager for Barrick Tanzania, “the first is the illegal mining, and the second is, see the guy sitting next to the hole of water, that’s actually an FFU (Field Force Unit) police officer, so you can make your own deductions as to what’s happening there.”

According to Hermann the amount of work required to farm compared with the amount of work required for mining gold is vastly different. Plus what people make from selling gold is much higher than profits made from agriculture. This is what draws people here, he said.

“How do you even discourage them from coming here in the first place?” said Teweli Teweli, the PR and Communications Officer for Barrick Gold Tanzania. “This is where the government comes in. This is where they have to invest in the community, to give them alternatives…”

In contrast, unsurprisingly, to what the community has said about Barrick’s performance, Hermann states that community relations were good until December the 11th 2008 when US$25 million worth of equipment was damaged during an on-site break in. After that Barrick cut off all ties with the community and pulled out from any social service programs they were running.

They say that only recently they have looked at re-engaging with the community, but the pace is slow and uneasy.

“We’re in touch with the local councillors, chairmen, and executive officers,” said Teweli, “some of them have come out in local media, trying to discourage the community from vandalising any mining infrastructure, because one way or another it comes back and hurts the community itself, but of course a lot more needs to be done.

“There’s only so much we can do as a company; we need the other two players to come in, the local community and the government and have a coordinated approach as to how we address these issues.”

The government do not appear to be engaging or mediating the tense relations between company and community, and unfortunately were unavailable/unreachable, (or on safari), to comment for this article.

“The community always put pressure on the Minister of Energy and Minerals to deal with the issue, but they don’t do anything. This is why the people use force, to show Barrick and the government that they are tired,” said Daud Itembe.

“We feel like we have no say as to what happens, that there is no way our voice can be heard; it is just between the central government and the company.”

leach pond

23.11.09 – 03.12.09
1. after the masaii mara i travelled back south to tanzania – not far south of the kenyan border on the eastern side of Lake Victoria, the North Mara, the Mara region of northern Tanzania. I travelled in a mini bus of 12 seats that had about 30 people – i have been in crowded buses before, but this was insane. they then tried to fit a man who had busted his leg and was bleading, on top of a rusty suitcase, and his small boy who was wearing an oversized suit – i dont know what happened, but it didn’t work. so – i arrived in Musoma, a town on the shores of Lake Victoria, i got taken to a hotel, the most expensive in town, of $25 a night – more than i had spent anywhere, but i really wanted a clean bathroom, to myself; I know, greedy, but i needed it. I met with my fixer, rhobinson, who had been organised through the TZ institute of information and… something – he was great, very humble, but active, a journalist himself, and he owned a motorbike – on which we were to travel hours and hours on dirt, dusty or wet roads interviewing people for a week. he organised the schedule, tomorrow we would start with the community affected by Barrick Gold’s North Mara mine – about 2-3 hours away on this motorbike of 60km an hour, sometimes 80..

2. we left around 9 after i struggled to find internet that worked so i could read my editors comments/wishes/focus for the articles. the article is yet to be published, as my editor is covering the copenhagen climate conference: http://www.ips.org/TV/copenhagen/ – so hopefully after then they will be put online. I am still waiting for 5 more stories to go up. so i will publish the drafts; unapproved by the critical CAPITAL LETTERS of my editor. whom i love and respect for teaching me much about writing and journalism. and although my time brief doing this; has pushed me to continue. i hope.

so. on the bike.

3. through the police blocks – where are you going? ‘to tarime’ – why? ‘i am looking, researching’ ‘im a tourist’ – haha, put the helmet on her, for saftey ma’am.

4. it’s really green here, it’s really been raining, and will, on and off for the next week. the landscapes dotted with rounded huts with pointy roofs. thatched, mud, villages, so normal now, i love these glimpses, flickering by on the back of a motorbike. slow and quickly. this boy, he’s little, a baby really, picks up a bucket, throws it on the ground. these girls, they hop. they laugh and chase each other. these boys push a tire along the ground, yelling something at the same time. these women carry water on their heads, babies on their backs. this old man does nothing, these young men lean against the side of their shop, chewing a piece of grass, turning their gaze as we pass. these goats block the road, they don’t notice the horn, these cows block the road, they don’t notice the horn.

5. the peaceful hum, splatter, purr of the motorcycle , the wind snaps at my face, i hide behind rhobinson, to hide from people’s gaze as well as to hide from the wind.

rhobinson the trusty fixer and journalist, and our helper in nyamongo village, waiting for the rain to stop

6. upon arriving in Nyangomo village, Rhobinson had arranged for another man to help us – visiting people who had complained of skin diseases due to bathing in the Tigithe River after it was contaminated in early May – after lining was removed, but, a scandal. ongoing – he organised us to meet local councillors and chairmen, and to talk with local small-scale miners who visit the site every day to earn about $1.5 per day off gold sales. locals use mercury to extract the gold, using their bare hands and home-made equipment, often grinders are contained within homes at the base of the mine, refusing to move.

7. so we visited the contaminated area, we visited areas where water was discharging from the mine (which i was later to learn is from natural springs (uncontaminated..?) that sit underneath the mine). we were too late to travel back to musoma, and more people to visit the next day, so we stayed in a cheap guesthouse in the village centre, that smelt like petrol and had drunken people yelling into the wee-hours, but i was so tired i fell asleep amongst it all underneath the hole-full mosquito net.
Rhobinson tells me a story which i can’t understand/comprehend, about a woman who is beaten, abused from a young age, who goes on to move about across tanzania continuing to be beaten and abused by those who she comes across – i ask him about stories to cover women’s issues in the Mara district, and this is what he tells me – Female Genital Mutilation is still huge here, abuse is huge, education for girls is still so low… AIDS, the list goes on. So i fall asleep thinking about corruption, abuse, tradition, poverty, FGM, aids; i feel kind of numbed, numbed by everything – as if to say “oh, you have such a terrible life.. okay, who else can we talk to?” – im not sure this is how i really feel, but it feels a little how i feel – as if the lives have piled up and i am no longer actually seeing them on the same level, one by one, a reality by a reality. there are so many – and each person has one to tell.

8. after the end of the next day i return exhausted to Musoma – try to write something but end up drinking amarula watching the soccer on my comfortable hotel bed – thinking of how to retell these stories…

9. the next day rhobinson takes me to a village about an hour out of Musoma to talk with women who are the victims of abuse and of FGM -  didn’t really know what to expect – nor had i prepared my questions or research about the issues. but going on the little time we had i jumped on the back of the bike and listened to rhobinson brief me along the way – yelling over the top of the motorbike engine – actually i tried not to talk on the back there, because when i did he would slow down to about 50km an hour and i knew we would never reach the village.

10. the women; about 8 of them, were gathered around at the edge of the house in the Kitarmanka village, along a dirt track somewhere in the musoma rural district- sitting on a woven mat, they brought chairs out for us as we arrived – and so; i didn’t know where to start, who they were or what i was asking them, but rhobinson just said “they will tell you their story one by one” – and so i pressed record and started taking notes.

Justine Mahunda

Justine Mahunda: I was born here in 1964, I was married in 1984, to a man named Mahunda Sendi. He paid 25 cows and 15 goats for my dowry. When I got married I already had one child who was born in 1983; I moved with her to my new husband’s home. My husband was so much older than me, he could have been my father! I was forced to marry him by my family, because of tradition; the responsibility is of the parents, he offered a good price for me.
He was always abusive because ; he had 5 wives – so he kept some wives and got rid of the others…
We had three children together, and in 1988 he chased me away from the family?
Why?
Because he had found a new wife, I was already the third wife for him.
I went to the elders – who, according to tradition, the husband must provide land, he did, but never provided and money or support for me, I lived with my children alone with nothing since 1989. He had a lot of cattle but gave me nothing.
My husband died in 1989. He was killed by somebody called Jumaa Nyansambo, who was my new boyfriend – who is now in jail for the murder.
(the story is a bit muddled and hard to follow…)
We were/are always in conflict; it is a normal style of living for us here.
That day; the day he killed my ex-husband… he came with a knife to my home, and cut me here (she points) and here on my head (she shows) – then my son came to protect me and Jumaa took an axe and cut the son with the axe in the waist and the cut his arm in three pieces! he then cut his shoulder as well and took the knife again and cut my son twice on his head. My sons name was Sergere Mahunda, age 23. We took him immediately to Musoma hospital, it was late at night – he passed away the next morning.
Jumaa ran away to the neighbours house and tried to kill himself – They took him to the hospital too, where he was arrested and taken to jail.
He never attends court, but I hope one day he will be tried; although, it is not neccessary now, what else can be done?
Accordng to tradition… it is normal for women to be beaten..
But does the community accept that it’s normal? Do people agree with it?
There are two types of conflict; one is the kind when people are always in conflict, so it’s normal, the other is when a man beats his wife almost to death, then it is a problem, then they can get divorced.
He could be me if I had done something wrong, or even if I hadn’t, it was just normal> this is just the way the man behaves… It is very difficult to find a man that does not beat his wife..
But people accept it in the community? As ‘normal?’
We get beaten inside the house, so people don’t see.
Are things changing?
Now people are starting to change their minds about this; if people complain to the community, but if a woman is quiet she is only doing this to obey the marriage – to complain is to abuse the marriage. If a wife was beaten by her real husband it is accepted, but not if he is not her real husband…
By law it is illegal, but if a woman takes her husband to court then she won’t be accepted back into the family. Traditionally women are supposed to take her husband to their parents to fix the problems, and it worked, but now most people take them to the police or to a court of local leaders – it is starting to change now and women will be accepted back into the family.
–
she went on to talk about alcohol as the main cause of problems between husband and wife, and she told me that she used to drink a lot, and accepted that she was beaten for drinking. I asked the women in the gathering who had been to school, only some 3 out of 8 or 9 had finished standard 6, which would be.. primary school? – some finished at age 14 or 15, others at age 20. And i asked if at school if there was much education around domestic abuse – they simply shook their heads and said that they were taught how to cook, etc..

It started to rain heavily and we moved inside – one of the older women of the group told me her story, which was strange, also horrible, but i didn’t understand it entirely.. beaten by police? who stole her 15 cows..? also married to an old man, who was rich (with cows) and had 4 wives – she had stomach problems, ovary problems and could give birth, so was kicked out of the house. She contracted TB and couldn’t work anymore – she still lives with her mother.. the story trailed off as I was totally lost and not sure if I could ‘use’ the story for anything.. – We began to talk about FGM and this went on until dark, we were all crammed, now there was about 15 or so of us in this bare dark blue room in this house – talking about FGM, the traditions, the horrors; the mindsets – then i clicked each of them -
and the story is to come in the next couple of posts..

kitarmanka women

11. the following days were spent trying to chase government officials for quotes; going back out the North Mara mine and interviewing Barrick and doing a mine tour – then trying to complete the FGM story and start another story on girls and education. I ran out of time and wanted to leave, to go, to go to cairo and be settled again for a little while – i don’t know why i needed to rush so fast, but i had this plan in my mind and i followed it.

The price of gold reached above $US1,200 an ounce for the first time as a weak US currency pushed up demand for the precious metal viewed as a safe-haven investment, analysts said.

Gold struck a record high $US1,201.63 an ounce on the London Bullion Market at 1639 GMT on Tuesday (0339 AEDT, Wednesday).

It later pulled back slightly to stand at $US1,199.65.

Gold has struck historic peaks over recent days and weeks as the US dollar drops against major rivals the euro and yen.

“As ever, another painful week for the US currency saw new highs for gold,” VTB Capital commodities analyst Andrey Kryuchenkov said on Tuesday.

In recent weeks, gold has smashed record after record also on the back of inflationary fears and increasing moves by central banks to diversify assets away from the greenback.

The yellow metal, whose two main drivers are jewellery and investment buyers, has also won favour in the uncertain economic climate and fears of a mounting Dubai debt crisis.

“Gold continues to benefit from an almost ‘perfect storm’ of weak currencies, minimal interest rates, fears about future inflation and fears about financial stability,” said Capital Spreads analyst Simon Denham.

“None of these worries looks like going away any time soon and so the march higher goes on.”

The weaker US currency makes gold cheaper for holders of rival currencies, stimulating demand for the metal and eventually lifting prices.

Gold prices had also been driven higher after last week’s purchase of IMF gold by Sri Lanka’s central bank.

The International Monetary Fund announced it had sold 10 tonnes of gold to Sri Lanka’s central bank for $US375 million ($A409.3 million) as part of a restructuring of its financial resources.

The record run also came after last week’s newspaper report that India was mulling the purchase of more IMF gold reserves.

“The overall sentiment on gold remains bullish, also spurred by rumours last week that India was ready to buy more IMF gold, according to an article in India’s Financial Chronicle,” said analyst Kryuchenkov.

“The IMF declined to comment when asked by the media and we do believe it is just pure speculation at the moment.”

He added: “Sri Lanka bought 10 tonnes of the precious metal, also helping to stir up positive vibes yet again.

“Granted, it was not much, but this was nevertheless supportive with increasing rhetoric over central bank diversifications and US inflation expectations still running high as we go into 2010.”

Canadian mining giant Barrick Gold meanwhile on Tuesday announced it had eliminated all of its hedges on the world’s largest gold production and reserves, hoping to profit from rising gold prices.

The gold hedges were contracts whereby Barrick – the world’s number one gold producer – sold gold ounces it expected to produce in advance for a fixed price.

Australien hat einige der weltgrößten Goldminen wie hier die Kalgoorlie Mine von Barrick Gold hervorgebracht

Bereits Mitte August hatten wir berichtet: Der australische Goldproduzent Crescent Gold verdoppelt durch ein Abkommen mit dem größten Goldkonzern der Welt Barrick Gold und Carbon Energy seine Goldressource auf der Laverton-Liegenschaft auf dann 2,1 Millionen Unzen der Kategorien „nachgewiesen“, „angezeigt“ und „geschlussfolgert“.

In dem Deal, der jetzt unterzeichnet wurde, zahlt Crescent Gold (WKN A0B5UM) 5 Millionen australische Dollar an Barrick und Carbon, wobei ein Teil der Summe erst anfällt, wenn eine Produktion von 75.000 Unzen Gold auf den neuen Liegenschaften erreicht wurde.

Dabei handelt es sich auch um das so genannte Laverton-Explorations-Joint-Venture (LEJV), das die Goldlagerstätten Chatterbox und Beasley Creek und einen 100%-Anteil an der Lancefield-Lagerstätte beinhaltet. Dadurch erhält Crescent insgesamt 1,1 Millionen zusätzliche Unzen Gold, darunter 510.400 Unzen, die nahe an der Oberfläche lagern. Damit zahlt Crescent rund 4,50 australische Dollar pro Unze in der Ressource.

Von Vorteil zudem: Crescent könnte diese neuen Vorkommen nutzen, um Erz in das vor kurzem mit Barrick unterzeichnete Erzverkaufsabkommen zu liefern, wobei man sich verschiedene Synergien zu Nutzen machen könnte.

Zudem bietet diese Akquisition erhebliche Explorationsmöglichkeiten nach zusätzlichen Ressourcen durch die Zusammenlegung zahlreicher benachbarter Explorationsprojekte und Liegenschaften. Was die Besitzfragen und die Verwaltung auf einer ganzen Reihe von Projektgebieten vereinfacht.

Wir haben diesen Deal schon bei der ersten Ankündigung als positiv betrachtet und werten den jetzigen Vollzug als weiteres Zeichen dafür, dass Crescent Gold mit seinen Plänen vorankommt wie geplant. An der australischen Börse wurden die News ebenfalls freundlich aufgenommen. Wir betrachten das aktuelle Kursniveau bei Crescent noch immer als günstig, angesichts der Tatsache, dass mittlerweile die Goldproduktion über das Erzverarbeitungsabkommen mit Barrick Gold angelaufen ist. Risiko bewusste Anleger können sich unserer Ansicht auch jetzt noch einige Stücke mit guten Aussichten auf deutliche Kursgewinne sichern.

Disclaimer: Die hier angebotenen Artikel stellen keine Kauf- bzw. Verkaufsempfehlungen dar, weder explizit noch implizit sind sie als Zusicherung etwaiger Kursentwicklungen zu verstehen, jedwege Haftung diesbezüglich wird ausgeschlossen. Dies gilt insbesondere für unvollständige oder falsch wiedergegebene Meldungen, falsche Kursangaben und redaktionelle Versehen. Die Artikel und Berichte dienen ausschließlich der Information der Leser und stellen keine wie immer geartete Handlungsaufforderung dar. Zwischen dem Autor und den Lesern dieser Artikel entsteht keinerlei Vertrags- und/oder Beratungsverhältnis.

Por Eugenio Perdomo

Seré mas que simple y escueto esta vez, incluso brevísimo, pues es necesario que comprendamos que lo que el Presidente comisionó al PNUD evaluar, fue lo siguiente:

1. El proceso técnico y legal de otorgamiento de la Licencia Ambiental DEA No. 0157-09 al Consorcio Minero Dominicano para instalar una fábrica de cemento en el Distrito Municipal de Gonzalo, provincia de Monte Plata.

2. La viabilidad y pertinencia de la industria en la zona.

Por lo tanto, las conclusiones del PNUD sobre esta industria, se limitan solamente al edificio de la planta cementera, a la industria, la cual puede ser ubicada, en las proximidades de Gonzalo, Sabana Grande de Boyá o en la provincia Monte Plata, como de hecho tanto el gobierno como el Consorcio Minero Dominicano han planteado que será. El Presidente piensa que quedará bien, pues acogerá las conclusiones del PNUD y se trasladará el edificio a un lugar mas pertinente pero en ese mismo entorno. No obstante agradecemos al PNUD y el equipo de técnicos que llevó a cabo la evaluación, quienes no se supeditaron al pedimento oficial y fueron categóricos al extender sus conclusiones de no viabilidad y no pertinencia a la actividad minera propuesta en la zona, basados principalmente en la falta de información para determinar con certeza las consecuencias a provocar en: Los Acuíferos Kársticos, la Biodiversidad, las Áreas Protegidas, la Salud Humana, el Patrimonio Cultural, la Economía Local y la Comunidad. Por lo que entendemos que de forma inmediata, el Presidente de la República, debe proceder a ordenar a la Dirección General de Minería, la cancelación de las concesiones mineras autorizadas sobre el Carso de Los Haitises e inmediaciones.

Es increíble que la voluntad autocrática de Leonel Fernández Reyna, lleve a este hombre a tildar a los dominicanos de estúpidos e incompetentes. Pero es justo que así el lo entienda y apele a ello para promover sus dolosas acciones en perjuicio de nuestra nación, ya que su administración mantiene sobre nuestro pueblo, condiciones de miseria, hambre, falta de educación, a la vez que promueve la inversión de valores, la delincuencia, la drogadicción y el narcotráfico.

Señores, La Concesión Minera al Consorcio Minero Dominicano CMD, no fue sometida a escrutinio, en ningún momento se ha hablado de ello, pues se entiende como un proceso ya efectuado y por lo tanto, este hombre al que hemos delegado dirigir la administración de nuestro pueblo, piensa que sus testaferros, podrán llevar a cabo la explotación minera del área de la concesion, al margen del PNUD y nuestra sociedad. Cuanta maldad. Qué maquiavélico es este hombre, que no relaja con el patrimonio que se asegura en su afán de poder.

Las acciones de guerra en defensa de nuestro patrimonio deben continuar, desde hoy mas firmes que nunca, pues estamos ante un apetito voraz que promete depredar todo cuanto le sea posible, lo peor, es que lo están haciendo sin pudor ni miramiento alguno.

Y se evidencia en la carrera de endeudamiento, en la estrecha relación que ha establecido con poderes económicos nacionales e internacionales a los cuales facilita condiciones como esta concesión, en los contratos grado a grado que no cesan y mas tristemente en las concesiones mineras de toda índole, que ha otorgado a sus acólitos y socios en toda le geografía nacional, para explotar todo tipo de materiales, sin considerar el daño que pueda causar a nuestra ecología, a nuestra flora y fauna, a nuestro paisaje, a nuestra industria turística, como a importantes inversiones inmobiliarias.

Nuestra lucha es contra la enajenación de nuestro patrimonio, es en defensa de los intereses de La República y por tanto, es en contra de la Conseciones Mineras otorgadas alegremente en este festín, entre ellas y solo por citar algunas:

- La Osua y colindantes, que atentan contra nuestros recursos hidricos del carso de Los Haitises, el Gavilán de los haitises y el carácter de una carretera turística para disfrute y acceso a nuestro parque nacional, que con dicha explotación pasa a ser una carretera de servicio a esa explotación minera, en detrimento de la industria turística nacional y todos los dominicanos.

- Pueblo Viejo, en Cotuí, específicamente las que amparan el contrato de explotación con la minera Placer Dome, adquirido por Barrick Gold. Esta en particular no tanto por el pernicioso adendum a dicho contrato, el cual fue firmado por las autoridades de este gobierno y avalado por el Congreso Nacional, por voluntad expresa y contenida en dicho documento del Presidente de la República. Con certeza en ambos caso, que no nos quepa la menor duda hubo jugosos sobornos, pues ¿Para qué afectar de esa manera a nuestra nación, si existe una tendencia al alza en la cotización del oro? Acción totalmente ilegítima según se formula y tipifica en el artículo 23 de esta nueva constitución a proclamar, como: TRAICIÓN A LA PATRIA, por lo que puede y debe someterse oportunamente a cada una de las autoridades que firmaron tal adefesio en perjuicio y representación del Pueblo Dominicano por mas de cincuenta mil millones de pesos (50,000,000,000.00).

Pero el Presidente, ni santo y mucho menos pendejo, por algo crea el Tribunal Constitucional, para contar con el favor político de los jueces nombrados por el, a los cuales en su momento también les llegará el premio ya sea en un maletín, en bonos del tesoro, en acciones de SKY, en diamantes, en villas, en castillas, en fichas de casino o hasta en el mismo oro que se piensa explotar allí, a costa del Río Yuna, de las carpas de cotuí, del agua de las comunidades de Cotuí y del bajo Yuna, de esa presa que tanto costó al pueblo dominicano y es la mas grande del Caribe, del arroz que cultivamos en toda la zona del bajo Yuna, de la flora, como de la vida silvestre y la fauna de todo el entorno del Yuna y la Bahía de Samaná, lo que significa entre otras tantas cosas: NO MAS ARROZ EN EL BAJO YUNA Y NO MAS PESCA EN SABANA DE LA MAR, MICHES Y SAMANÁ.

Perdonen la expresión señores pero no me viene otra mejor y mas adecuada u oportuna a la mente: ¨QUÉ COJONES TIENE LEONEL¨ y cuanto nos faltan a los dominicanos que no hacemos nada y permitimos que este siga abusando de esta manera. ¿Hasta cuando Pueblo Dominicano? ¡¡¡DESPERTEMOS!!! que se nos viene encima una aplanadora.

Indago Resources has launched the $10 million initial public offer of Tusker Gold, which will acquire the company’s gold assets in Tanzania.

Indago had acquired the Tanzanian gold assets from Sub-Sahara Resources.

Tusker Gold will issue 50 million of its shares to Indago for the assets, which include the Nyanzaga joint venture with Barrick Gold.

In its prospectus, Tusker said it will spend a total of $6.2 million from the IPO funds on a bankable feasibility study over the next two years.

Tusker will also provide a priority pool of 5 million shares for Indago shareholders, which if fully subscribed to, will result in Indago holding a 67.5 per cent stake.

All up the IPO will offer 50 million shares at 20 cents each.

The priority offer to Indago shareholders is set to close on November 27, while the general closing date is December 4. Tusker expects to list on the Australian Securities Exchange on December 18.

On the board are non-executive chairman Andrew McIlwain, managing director Iain Scott and non-executive directors Tim Kestell and Peter Pynes.

Swine Shwe Flu Rages Around the World

Posted in Asia with tags Africa, ASEAN, Barrick Gold, Bill Clinton, Burma, Central America, China, globalization, Hillary Clinton, New World Order, South America, Sri Lanka, Than Shwe, United Nations on November 15, 2009 by buffalohair

By Randall Richards

Barrick's Pierina Gold Mine, Peru

I know relatively little about the issues that surround open pit gold mining, but my instincts tell me, aside from what I’ve read over the years, that it’s not a good thing, something similar to  nuclear testing – not the best for the planet,  nor the surrounding communities. There are certainly the headlines about gold mining, about toxic tailings and the havoc wreaked on local rivers and communities.  I debated whether to do more research before writing this post, and decided to simply point you in the direction of two websites, and tell an anecdote of my observations in Peru over the past 12 twelve years.

Barrick Mine viewed from our land near Huaraz

We’ve just purchased some land in Huaraz Peru, and within 10 or 15 miles, line of sight, to the north is the Canadian company Barrick Gold open pit gold mining operation. It just looks wrong. A whole mountain on the Corillera Negra side of the Cayllon de Huaylas (Huaylas Valley),  has been transformed into a mammoth sand pit/mound.  Aside from  the blight it produces, all natural grasslands and campasino’s (country farmers), pastures/farms have been eradicated.   I hear consistently that the Japanese are, or are about to run mines in the Cordillera Huayhuash, (scene of Joe Simpson’s Touching the Void).

Barrick's Planned Community - employee housing, Peru

On the east side of the valley, sits Barrick’s planned employee community. It’s relatively well hidden from the center of Huaraz, over a hill with newly planted pines.  But the whole thing seems abusive, elitist,  and completely out of place, in a country where there are stark differences between classes of the “haves and have nots”. This “suburb looking for a city”, looks like something outside of Toronto, or a development near Montreal, rather than a village in the Andes.

Then, there’s the taking of Peru’s natural resources, for the price paid from the highest bidder. If that’s what the goverments mean by “free trade”, they can have it. (As you may know, Peru and the U.S. have a “free trade” agreement as of a few years ago.) For more information on third world exploitation, be sure to read John Perkins‘ Confessions of an Economic Hit Man, or see his website, which also has a good bit on Free Trade with Columbia, which might shed some light on free trade agreements.  More on John Perkins in another entry.

As promised, here is the link for Barrick Mines and, one for Mining Watch Canada, with an interesting page entitled, Transnational Mining Tribunal: The Case of Barrick Gold Corporation in Latin America (Chile, Argentina and Peru). Barrick has multiple pages on “Environmental Responsibility, Biodiversity, Rock and waste management”, etc etc..  However, are we being hoodwinked?

For those up to speed on these issues, forgive my lack of knowledge on the subject, but take my observations at face value, especially if you’ve not been to Peru. If you agree with my take, please forward this blog to friends,  and get the word out about the abuse in Peru and other Latin American countries, its people and resources.

Barrick Confirms We Reached Peak Gold
Global gold production is in terminal decline despite record prices and Herculean efforts by mining companies to discover fresh sources of ore in remote spots, according to the world’s top producer Barrick Gold.

Read Full Article Here

The world may have hit “peak gold.”

From the link:

“There is a strong case to be made that we are already at ‘peak gold’,” he toldThe Daily Telegraph at the RBC’s annual gold conference in London.

“Production peaked around 2000 and it has been in decline ever since, and we forecast that decline to continue. It is increasingly difficult to find ore,” he said.

Ore grades have fallen from around 12 grams per tonne in 1950 to nearer 3 grams in the US, Canada, and Australia. South Africa’s output has halved since peaking in 1970.

The supply crunch has helped push gold to an all-time high, reaching $1,118 an ounce at one stage yesterday. The key driver over recent days has been the move by India’s central bank to soak up half of the gold being sold by the International Monetary Fund. It is the latest sign that the rising powers of Asia and the commodity bloc are growing wary of Western paper money and debt.

Weltweiter Vorrat an Gold geht zur Neige

Neben “Peak Oil” (Überschreiten des Gipfelpunktes der Ölförderung) haben wir jetzt auch “Peak-Gold” (Überschreiten des Gipfelpunktes der Goldförderung)

Die Goldproduktion weltweit hatte ihren Höhepunkt im Jahre 2000 und sinkt seitdem von Jahr zu Jahr. Momentan und jahrelang stammt und stammte das noch erhältliche Gold weltweit zum großen Teil von Zentralbanken, die die letzten Reste auskehrten um zu verschleiern wie schlimm es um das Papiergeld – fiat money – steht.
(Goldpreis steigt eigentlich noch nicht sondern der Dollar wird von immer mehr erkannt als das was er ist – bedrucktes Papier – und daher immer wertloser.)

Asiatische Länder, insbesondere China und Indien, haben sich jetzt öffentlich abgewendet von westlichen Papierwährungen und öffentlich verlautbart, dass sie echten Werten, Gold, vertrauen. Sie mißtrauen der Fähigkeit westlicher Staaten ihre Staatschulden anders zurückzahlen zu können als durch einen Staatsbankrott, Fälle von Staatsbankrott gab es haufenweise in der Geschichte, Anfang dieses Jahrzehnts beispielsweise in Argentinien.

Der weltgrösste Goldproduzent, Barrick, hat jetzt Schluß gemacht mit Hedges auf Gold.
(Barrick verkaufte noch nicht gefördertes Gold zu Preisen, die unter den realen später auf dem Markt erzielbaren Preisen lagen [nach der stattgefundenen Förderung des Goldes. Genauso kann ein Bauer seinen noch nicht geernteten Weizen, der noch im Keimen auf dem Felde ist, verkaufen.]. Barrick machte so angesichts ständig steigender Goldpreise riesige Verlustgeschäfte. Obwohl Barrick jahrelang durch seine Verkäufe von noch nicht wirklich geförderten Goldes die Preise künstlich senkte konnte es sich nicht behaupten gegen den Markt, der immer mehr Gold verlangte und kaufte.)

Der Akt jetzt von Barrick Gold, sein Aussteigen aus dem Hedging, ist zu verstehen als Wette auf weiter steigende Goldpreise. In Südafrika wird es immer schwerer Gold zu finden und daher immer teurer: Immer tiefer muss gegraben werden und Stromausfälle sowie soziale Unruhen dort machen die Aufgabe schwerer.

Die Ausbeute an Gold pro Tonne abgebauten Gesteins hat sich seit den 1950-er Jahren auf ein Viertel verringert.

Mehr erfahren Sie im Telegraph von Ambrose Evans-Pritchard:

Barrick shuts hedge book as world gold supply runs out

El ingeniero Osiris de León denunció en el espacio Milagros desde la Z, de la Z-101, que es lesivo al interés nacional el contrato dominicano con la empresa Barrick Gold, ya que el mismo implica que el país pierda ingresos por RD$42 mil millones en los próximos seis años, pues la participación del Estado es de cero hasta que la minera no recupere la totalidad de las inversiones hechas.

Osiris de León sostuvo que como parte de la comisión especial creada por la Cámara de Diputados para conocer el contrato, pudo contactar en el terreno los alcances del contrato, el cual asegura enajena al estado dominicano del mineral, así como de los beneficios económicos.

En ese sentido, el reconocido geólogo dijo que no sólo el pueblo de la provincia Sánchez Ramírez debe movilizarse en contra de dicho contrato, sino todos los sectores del país, generando un movimiento similar al que se opone a la construcción de la cementera en Los Haitises.

Al conversar con la ex vicepresidenta Milagros Ortiz Bosch, Yulissa Hernández y Julio Cordero, Osiris de León se preguntó cómo es posible que tanto el Gobierno como el congreso de la República hayan suscrito un contrato que enajena del oro al pueblo dominicano y de los recursos económicos que ello implica.

Observó que el plan de la empresa Barrick Gold es dominar el mercado mundial del otro, a por medio del control de las reservas mundiales del mineral.

Afirmó que al modificar el artículo 8 del contrato la Barrick Gold logró evadir que el Estado dominicano tenga una participación del 25 por por ciento de las utilidades netas, pues hasta que la empresa no haya obtenido una tasa de retorno de un 10 por ciento y hasta que no haya recuperado la totalidad d ellas inversiones, la participación del estado es de cero.

Fuente: Guasabara Editor