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Extractive Industries

Mining can be a cause of conflict, environmental destruction and toxic pollution.

When new mines are developed, communities are often forced from their lands and homes, rivers and streams close to mines are polluted, and hillsides and fields devastated, with damage lasting long after mines have closed.

CAFOD is calling on governments and mining companies to end this injustice, and give poor communities a greater say in whether mining is allowed, how it operates, and who benefits.

Notes of meeting between CAFOD and Goldcorp on San Martin mine, Honduras, 5 May 2011 (553.64 kB)

On 5 May 2011, CAFOD and Honduran partner organisation CEHPRODEC had their first face to face meeting with Goldcorp staff in Canada to discuss the way in which the company is dealing with the risk of Acid Mine Drainage as identified by Newcastle University in the reports below.

Technical review of mine closure at San Martin (75.50 kB)

Technical review of mine closure plan and mine closure implementation at Minerales Entres Mares San Martin mine, Honduras by Dr Adam Jarvis and Dr Jaime Amezaga from Newcastle University

Technical review of mine closure at San Martin - Spanish (1.12 MB)

Technical review of mine closure plan and mine closure implementation at Minerales Entres Mares San Martin mine, Honduras by Dr Adam Jarvis and Dr Jaime Amezaga from Newcastle University - Spanish.

Keith Hill MP visits open-cast mines in Honduras

CAFOD rejoinder to Goldcorp (44.91 kB)

CAFOD’s rejoinder to Goldcorp’s response to our press release: CAFOD and Development and Peace Canada Discover Evidence of Severe Water Contamination at Goldcorp Mine , December 2009.

From their new houses, villagers can see the mining development where their homes and farmland once stood.

The San Martin mine in the Siria Valley (32.36 kB)

The issues we are campaigning on with Development & Peace in Canada to ensure multi-million pound mining giant Goldcorp does not leave a toxic legacy at their San Martin mine in Honduras when it closes at the end of 2009

Gold mining in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

Golden Opportunity or False Hope? (2.14 MB)

Report into proposals by multi-million dollar mining giant AngloGold Ashanti to develop a goldmine in the Ituri district of DRC, which questions the benefit of the mine for local people. (English)

Funded by CAFOD and researched in partnership with the Bench Marks Foundation of South Africa and the Cadre de Concertation of Mongbwalu, DRC.

Franck Bura from DRC campaigns for no dirty gold [Richard Greenwood]

Opportunité en or ou faux espoirs? (2.52 MB)

Report into proposals by multi-million dollar mining giant AngloGold Ashanti to develop a goldmine in the Ituri district of DRC, which questions the benefit of the mine for local people. (French)

Funded by CAFOD and researched in partnership with the Bench Marks Foundation of South Africa and the Cadre de Concertation of Mongbwalu, DRC

This mining project falls between two protected areas of natural beauty and of rare and endangered species

Unearth Justice: Kept in the dark (1.67 MB)

Full 36-page PDF report on BHP Billiton's controversial nickel mining project in Macambol, Phillipines, with recommendations for action

A child gold miner in the DRC [Richard Wainwright]

Analysis of proposed Tailings Retreatment Project (67.53 kB)

Submission to mining company AngloGold Ashanti outlining a series of environmental and social concerns about a community development initiative proposed by the company to generate employment in the Mongbwalu area of the Democratic Republic of Congo