Regulation/ Legal Issues |
Canada, where Barrick is based, is home to 60 percent of the world�s mining corporations, which run operations across the globe. Despite being a leader in this industry, Canada has not taken the lead on mediating or taking responsibility for the behavior of their corporations abroad. As a consequence of this negligence, Canada has drawn criticism from around the world, first by environmental, religious and human rights organizations, and now increasingly from international institutions, such as the United Nations. Even the Canadian government has started to recognize the harsh reality accompanying the presence of their mining industry abroad, which is characterized by environmental destruction, political corruption, community struggles, human rights abuses, and massive amounts of water consumption. 2006 marked the year of the first National Roundtables on Corporate Social Responsibility and the Canadian Extractive Industry in Developing Countries, a forum that was organized in reaction to a 2005 Report from Canada�s Parliamentary Standing Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade (SCFAIT). The standing committee�s report admitted that Canada does have not laws ensuring that Canadian mining companies �conform to human rights standards, including the rights of workers and indigenous peoples.� But, despite overwhelming evidence that the self-regulation and voluntary measures adopted by mining companies are not sufficient to guarantee these rights, a binding legal framework to ensure these rights has yet to be pursued by the Canadian Government. Read SCFAIT report "Mining
in Developing Countries and Corporate Social Responsibility" |
| Barrick Investors Win Class Cert. In Mine Compliance Row by Kurt Orzeck, Law 360 March 25th, 2016 A New York federal judge on Wednesday certified a class of investors accusing Barrick Gold Corp. of repeatedly and knowingly misleading them about whether its troubled $8.5 billion South American mining project complied with environmental regulations. |
| Barrick Gold spills Cyanide in 5 Argentine Rivers TeleSUR February 23rd, 2016 Argentina's Federal Police confirmed that Barrick Gold could be probed over environmental crimes in the country, concludes that there had been a �definite case of law infringement� of the country's legislation on the proper handling of hazardous substances. |
| Barrick Gold Mine Spill �Contaminated Five Rivers with Cyanide� by Azzura Lalani, The Argentina Independent February 23rd, 2016 Last September�s cyanide spill at the Veladero mine owned by Barrick Gold contaminated five rivers in the region, according to a federal court commissioned report. |
| Land dispute sends farmers, Barrick Gold back to court Dominican Today February 11th, 2016 Cotui, Dominican Republic. Hundreds of farmers on Thursday are gathered at the Sanchez Ramirez province (central) Land Court, site of the fifth hearing in their case against the miner Barrick Gold. Hundreds of people have sued the mining company to demand payment for the farmers� properties. |
| Barrick Gold urged to come clean on rape victims' compensation Radio New Zealand September 29th, 2015 There are lingering tensions among victims of rape by employees of Canadian miner Barrick Gold at its Porgera Joint Venture in Papua New Guinea's Enga province. Barrick Gold is being urged to come clean about its varying levels of compensation for victims. |
| UN experts analyze water samples in San Juan after cyanide spill Buenos Aires Herald September 20th, 2015 A group of United Nations (UN) experts started to analyze water samples of the rivers Jachal, Las Taguas and Blanco in San Juan to see if they have been polluted with cyanide, following an industrial malfunction at the Veladero mine that caused a pipe carrying the lethal substance to fracture. |
| Leak poisons Barrick Gold�s reputation by Michael Lerner , Blouin News Business September 18th, 2015 An Argentine judge on Wednesday ordered a five-day suspension of the gold leaching process at Barrick Gold Corp.�s Veladero mine in San Juan province. The purpose is to check if there was any environmental damage from a 15,000 liter cyanide leak on Sunday caused by a faulty valve. Local residents of J�chal, outraged and fearful of their water supply being contaminated, began protesting as soon as they found out, and spurred the governments of the province and the nation to action. |
| Barrick AGM statement by Jethro Tulin, Executive officer of Porgera Alliance and Akali Tange Association by Jethro Tulin, Porgera Alliance, Akali Tange Association April 28th, 2015 |
| Court to hear injunction request against Barrick Gold extractions in Dominican Republic Dominican Today April 22nd, 2015 Sanchez Ramirez province (northeast) Civil Court judge Jacqueline Y. Ramos will hear on April 28 the request for an injunction to halt mining against Barrick Gold�s local operation Pueblo Viejo Dominicana filed by the missionary Rafael Guill�n, EFE reports. |
| Chile regulator seeks new sanctions against Barrick's Pascua-Lama Reuters April 22nd, 2015 Chile's environmental regulator SMA said on Wednesday it will seek new sanctions against Barrick Gold Corp's massive Pascua-Lama gold and silver project, further complicating the possibility that the suspended mine might resume construction. |
| Barrick Settlement on Rapes and Killings in Papua New Guinea Proof that Victims Need Independent Legal Counsel Mining Watch April 3rd, 2015 April 3, 2015. Today, eleven of at least 120 women who claim to have been raped and gang raped by security guards at Barrick Gold�s Porgera Joint Venture mine in Papua New Guinea, and three of many more men and their families who claim to have been the victims of violence and killing by security guards, finally got equitable settlements. These fortunate claimants were the clients of lawyers with US-based EarthRights International, who was prepared to file legal cases on their behalf. |
| Canada mining firm compensates Papua New Guinea women after alleged rapes by Karen McVeigh, Guardian April 3rd, 2015 Watchdog reported pattern of extreme sexual violence by security workers 11 tribal women said a previous �remedy framework� for 137 women fell short |
| 200 girls and women raped: now 11 of them win better compensation from the world's biggest gold miner by Rick Feneley, Sydney Morning Herald April 3rd, 2015 Out-of-court settlement prevents human rights group EarthRights International filing a lawsuit against Barrick Gold in the United States. |
| JOHN BAIRD STRIKES GOLD WITH BARRICK by Sakura Saunders, Now Toronto March 31st, 2015 Regardless of technical legality, Baird's former department oversaw the transfer of millions of dollars of public monies to Barrick Gold and Munk's projects |
| Former foreign affairs minister John Baird joins Barrick Gold international advisory board by BRENT PATTERSON , Rabble Former foreign affairs minister John Baird is now a member of the international advisory board for the Toronto-based mining giant Barrick Gold. |
| Science on Trial at Pascua Lama GlacierHub Chile�s environmental court ruled on Monday that Pascua Lama, the Andean nation�s most controversial mine, is not responsible for damage done to three glaciers near the mine site. While the mine�s operations will remain suspended due to a variety of other challenges, the decision was a setback for local environmental groups, who seek to protect the country�s glaciers. Some say it also represents a defeat for Chile�s scientific institutions. |
| Barrick faces multi-billion dollar suit over Porgera mine by Cecilia Jamasmie, Mining.com March 19th, 2015 Canada's Barrick Gold (NYSE, TSX:ABX), in the midst of a worldwide assets sale to help reduce net debt by at least $3 billion, has something else to worry about these days, as the firm is now facing a legal threat in Papua New Guinea. |
| Porgera Gold Mine Landowners claim $US4b from Barrick Post Courier (PNG) March 11th, 2015 MP Mangape says Barrick owes $US4 billion for breach of contract agreements including Special Mining Lease landowners� resettlement packages, Fly in Fly Out agreement projects, infrastructure including roads and bridges, social and environmental damages. Mr Mangape on behalf of landowners from both Special Mining Lease (SML) and Lease for Mining Purposes (LMP) said the claim was genuine and if Barrick doesn�t pay, they will take it to the international arbitration. |
| Unveiling Medals, Veiling Abuse: A profile of the mines sourcing PanAm Medals by compiled by Sakura Saunders March 3rd, 2015 Barrick Gold and the Royal Canadian Mint today unveiled the design of the medals to be awarded to athletes at this summer's PanAm games. 4,000 competitions medals will be awarded during the course of both the Pan Am Games and the Parapan Am Games. But why are we using this opportunity to promote the irresponsible practice of open pit gold mining, especially considering that we get more than enough gold these days from recycled sources? Specifically, why are we celebrating a mining company whose abuses are well documented and widespread. To illustrate my point, let's look at the three mines highlighted as the sources of the PanAm medals. |
| VIDEO: an inside look at Barrick's Porgera Mine in Papua New Guinea This film originally appeared on French Television and offers an inside look on the ground at Barrick's Porgera Mine in Papua New Guinea. |
