gold mining

For months, the confrontation mounted, a face-off that arguably held in the balance the fates of two of Alaska's biggest industries. On one side were companies hoping to open Pebble Mine at a huge gold and copper reserve adjacent to one of the world's largest salmon runs, Bristol Bay. On the other side were fishermen and environmentalists pushing a referendum that would make it harder for the mine to open.  Then, six days before the Aug. 26 vote, with the race looking close, Palin broke her silence.

A mine in the Yukon's Klondike region is touting itself as the first in the world to offer ethically-sourced gold, catching the attention of major Canadian jewelry retailers like Birks. Birks officials and mining observers toured Mammoth Tusk Gold Inc.'s mine outisde Dawson City late last week, taking a look at the Ethical Gold Certification Program, which founder and president Jon Rudolph has developed."We want sustainable metal," Keith Spodek, Birks' director of quality and sustainability, said during Friday's tour.

Urgent concerns have been raised by communities in the Wassa district of Ghana over a possible cyanide spill at a nearby mine.According to a July 21 report by Public Agenda, the communities, who are supported by ³the concerned Farmers Association of Teberebie² and ³the Wassa Association of Communities Affected by Mining² (WACAM), say the cyanide containment pond for Anglogold Ashanti¹s Iduapriem mine has overflowed, causing the highly poisonous chemical to leak into the local rivers and forest.

Canada is "re-engaging with the Americas." That's what Minister of International Trade David Emerson told the Canada Council for the Americas in Vancouver this past February, elaborating that Canada wants to play "a positive role" to "help citizens throughout the region thrive in the world.""You can count on Canada and Canadians," Emerson assured.

Pacific Rim Mining has cut its work force and suspended drilling in El Salvador due to frustration over a lengthy permitting process for its El Dorado gold mine, the Canadian company said on Thursday, sending its stock down by 34 percent. The company started the permitting process in 2004 but it became bogged down in 2006. Shrake attributed the delays in part to the government's concerns about potential public opposition because of the environmental impact of mining.