Volume 4 Number 3 September 1999 MINING Published by the Mineral Policy Institute MONITOR. Monitoring the mining industry in Australasia and the Pacific ICME OPPOSES INDONESIA'S NEW ENV. STANDARDS The International Council on Mining and bringing in experts. The experts, Nash the Environment (ICME) is lobbying the suggested, could sit down and say here Indonesian government to overturn new wa- are the type of factors that one should take ter pollution standards signed into law ear- into account, heres what can be measured, lier this year by President Habibe. here's what can't be measured, here is what is reasonably achievable. 3 In May 1999 new regulations were intro- duced to set standards that were to apply to Nash says that to date there has been no discharges to the environment from min- official response from the Indonesian Min- ing operations. The Chairman of ICME and ister but my informal network is that they Managing Director of Western Mining Cor- Emmy Haflid. Photo: Bob Burton may be interested in having some form of poration (WMC), Mr Hugh Morgan, told a workshop. Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) con- Asia-Pacific, Rio Tinto and WMC. ference the regulations were drawn up in While ICME is keen to change the stand- consultation with the Indonesian Mining Emmy Haflid, the Director of Indonesian ards they refuse to be drawn on what they Association.1 environment and human rights group would consider appropriate standards. WALHI, said that under the new regula- We never never get involved in saying Morgan said the regulations were regarded what a standard should be I can tell as combining standards that were interna- you a numbers game we wont touch tionally acceptable as well as being appro- We never never get Nash told Mining Monitor. priate for the Indonesian circumstances. Bob Burton involved in saying what a When the regulations had been signed by 1 Hugh Morgan, WMC Ltd, A sustainable minerals standard should be. industry a new era, Speech to the Minerals President Habibe, Morgan told the MCA Council of Australia, 2 June 1999. conference, the industry discovered, to its 2 Interview with Bob Burton, 11 September 1999 horror, that the critical numbers for the lev- Gary Nash 3 Interview with Bob Burton, 14 September 1999. els of permitted concentrations of various metals and other waste constituents had all been altered. tions all mining wastes have been con- sidered as toxic waste unless it can be IN THIS ISSUE Morgan claimed the new standards were so proven not to be. Haflid said the cur- low that levels for key elements were be- rent law is not perfect, but that the stand- IUCN softens parks policy 3 low background values, and impossible to ards adopt a preventative approach.What meet, anywhere in the world. He fears it the mining companies are asking right now BHP offloads Ok Tedi problems 4-5 will be virtually impossible to change those is to have the US EPA standards applied numbers back to their agreed value. which take the approach that mining waste Govt seals green law rewrite 6 Morgan said that the responsible Minister is not a toxic waste unless you can prove was deeply embarrassed by what had hap- that it is so. In Indonesia it is the other Is gold making fools of us? 7-10 pened and asked for a letter from ICME way around, she said.2 detailing the numbers which apply in over- Will BHP cut and run? 11 seas jurisdictions. ICME Secretary-General, Gary Nash, said that it had written to the Indonesian Min- Tailings 12-14 Australian-based members of ICME are ister and suggested ICME could assist with BHP Minerals, Pasminco, Placer Dome a workshop to review the standards by Resources 15 MINING MONITOR . SEPTEMBER 1999 . 1 LETTERS TO THE EDITOR GOOD QUESTION in particulate emissions, just one year be- hind Europe. EURO4 involves a reduction Why is it that billions of dollars are spent in particulate emissions of 95% against every year extracting gold from inaccessi- current standards (80% less than EURO3), ble parts under the earths surface, in the carbon emissions 71% lower than current process releasing vast quantities of toxic standards (28% lower than EURO3), and waste into rivers and streams only to spend nitrous oxide emissions 60% lower than millions more to lock it away in inaccessi- current standards (29% lower than ble bank vaults and safety deposit boxes? Editors note: MPI has received a number EURO3). of inquiries about whether there is any case Are we mad? for gold mining. This edition of MM has a Oft-repeated claims by some of our critics feature (pp7-10) on the complex issues sur- that the Government was soon to receive David Poland rounding the impacts of gold production, a report from the Motor Vehicle Environ- Canberra the uses of gold and the controversy over ment Committee (MVEC) of the National the sale of the gold reserves held by vari- Road Transport Commission recommend- AND A CURLY ONE ous central banks. ing, with industry approval, precisely the measures agreed to in the tax package are I am an environmental law student en- LESS HOT AIR RISING simply untrue. gaged to be married. However, my boy- friend and I havent bought an engagement I accept that Mr Roodman of the Industry had not ticked off the recommen- ring yet because we want to be sure to buy Worldwatch Institute (MM June 1999) has dations. More importantly, the MVECs a stone and metal that does not involve written in good faith and with the best recommendations extended only to the horrible environmental impacts when it is environmental intentions. However, it ap- implementation of EURO3 for diesel ve- mined. Is there such a thing? Im aware pears that he has little understanding of hicles by 2005-6, with EURO4 only to be that gold mining is really bad, as is dia- the complex interaction between the GST, subject to a review in 2001 with a view to mond mining. Is there any kind of stone the fuel excises, the rebates and the com- adopting Euro4 at a later date. The tax that is not harmful to the environment? pany tax system. If he did, he could not agreement mandates EURO4 by 2005-6. help but conclude that the tax package, as This goes well beyond the MVEC recom- We have already discussed buying an an- modified by the Democrats, reduces rather mendations. tique ring which is my first choice. How- than increases subsidies for fossil fuels by ever I am also concerned that my wearing around $500 million over three years. The tax agreement mandates 500ppm as a diamond, even if it is antique, and thus the standard across the country by 2002. recycled, implicitly advocates the value of The Democrats have delivered a $500 mil- This reduces to 50ppm by 2006. This is wearing (and thus, mining) diamonds, lion increase in taxes on fossil fuels, $937 consistent with environmental progress which I really dont want to be a part of. million of new environment spending pro- and responsibility, two of the key criteria moting renewable energies, alternative in securing Democrat agreement. I know this may be a random question and fuels and greenhouse gas abatement, and if you cant answer it, could you point me world best practice in fuel emission stand- I hope my response demonstrates the in the direction of someone that could? ards for new vehicles by 2006. Democrats commitment to clean up Aus- tralias air. Sabrina Venskus The commitment to move to EURO4 emis- Portland, Oregon, USA sion standards for diesel vehicles by 2006 Meg Lees underpins what will be a huge reduction Leader, Australian Democrats http://www.hydra.org.au/mpi/ MINING material for major stories. You may send your suggestions, criticisms and praise relating to PATRON PRESIDENT MONITOR. Mining Monitor as a letter to the editor. Bob Brown Paul Chatterton EDITOR: Bob Burton Strong preference is for written contributions TREASURER Mining Monitor is published quarterly by the via e-mail to <[email protected]>. Second Geoff Lambert Mineral Policy Institute (MPI). Mining preference is for material to be posted to PO Monitor is aimed at providing detailed, Box 157 OConnor ACT 2602 Australia. STAFF referenced information to inform and support Deadline for next edition is 30 October 1999. community organisations concerned about the DIRECTOR ADMINISTRATOR impacts of mining projects (including oil and Mineral Policy Institute Geoff Evans Darryl Toohey gas) in Australasia and the Pacific. Post Office Box 21 Bondi Junction NSW 2022 RESEARCH INFORMATION Articles represent the viewpoint of the author Australia CO-ORDINATOR OFFICER and not necessarily the Mineral Policy Nina Lansbury Igor O'Neill Institute. Phone 02 9387 5540 Fax 02 9386 1497 Please consult the editor prior to submitting Email: [email protected] MINING MONITOR . SEPTEMBER 1999 . 2 INTERNATIONAL NEWS IUCN SOFTENS PARKS POLICY TO PLEASE ICME The International Union for the Conser- broader-based political support at the in- vation of Nature (IUCN), the international ternational level. peak conservation group, has weakened its policy on mining and national parks Allowing mining in protected areas, in response to lobbying from the interna- ICME argued, would increase social tional mining industry. wealth and reduce rather than increase threats to protected areas. Two of the The head of the IUCNs Programme on main threats to the system of protected Protected Areas, David Sheppard, insists areas are poverty and a general lack of that the draft Position Statement on Min- human and financial resources to ensure ing and Protected Areas was not that such areas are effectively managed changed.