MISSION: Southwest Research and Information Center is a multi-cultural organization working to promote the health of people and communities, protect natural resources, ensure citizen participation, and secure environmental and social justice now and for future generations

Useful Mining Links

Partizansk web links. Partizansk is a city in Primorski Krai in the Russian Far East 240 kilometers east of Vladivostok and 40 kilometers north of Nahokda. It is located on the west side of the Partizanskaya River, the main tributary to Nahodka Bay. The Partizansk area has been the site of active coal mining since the late 19th century. Mines in the area extracted more than 1,000,000 tons per year through the 1980s and 1990s, though coal mining has ceased since the end of the Soviet Union. It is home to a large coal-fired electric power plant that consumed up to 3,500 tons of coal per day since it began operating in the early 1950s. The ash from the coal burned in the plant has been a disposed of behind a circular dam located on the floodplain of the Partizansk River. In May 2004, portion of the dam broke and coal ash flowed out of the breach (hole) reaching the Partizansk River and Nahodka Bay.

High Country News is a weekly environmental newspaper covering the intermountain Western USA. High Country News is online and has a browsable/searchable database of issues and topics. You can also do an online search for keywords.

Mineral Policy Center is a national non-profit environmental organization dedicated to cleaning up the environmental problems caused by mining and onshore oil development, and preventing new problems from developing. To this end, they use three strategies: (1) research and publicize the massive environmental problems mining causes, and the special financial subsidies current laws give to mining corporations; (2) educate and assist grassroots citizens groups working with conservation problems arising from the 1872 Mining Law, Clean Water Act violations, and mining projects; (3) lobby for reform of the 1872 Mining Law, the Clean Water Act and RCRA (as they apply to mining), and other laws and Federal agency regulations for mining. You can also reach them via email at mpc-us@msn.com.

Pacific Environment and Resources Center (PERC) works to protect endangered ecosystems and prevent irresponsible development around the Pacific Rim through grassroots advocacy, environmental education and law and policy analysis.

WISE Uranium Project is part of World Information Service on Energy - WISE International, a worldwide network of safe energy activists. This very comprehensive and frequently updated site covers: Environmental and Health Impacts of Uranium Mining and Milling; Decommissioning of Uranium Mines and Mills; Reclamation of Uranium Mine Wastes and Uranium Mill Tailings. The site has strong depth of information and a comprehensive list of links to resources around the world.

The Natural Resources Canada, Minerals and Metals Sector home page is a site for the federal mineral agency of Canada. The site includes mining-related links; a directory of specialists; access to gopher databases; and information on world production data for selected metals and on monthly production of Canada's leading minerals.

ENVIROMINE is a sub-site of INFO-MINE, marketed as the "Internet's premier mining site". Enviromine has info "that pertains to environmental issues at mine sites," including case histories of mine reclamation; progress in environmental research at mine sites (short publications); technical guidelines and codes of practices; dust control; careers in environmental engineering/sciences; links to related websites and the other portions of INFO-MINE.

National Mining Association, the largest mining trade association in the USA "represents the mining industry, and mining equipment manufacturers and other mining-related businesses throughout the United States." The site includes such interesting items as "Sierra Club criticized for misleading teachers"; "Peabody realigns structure following purchase"; and "NMA questions portions of BIA's tribal self-governance rule."

Mineral Policy Institute bills itself as Australia's only group dedicated solely to researching and campaigning on mining issues. They conduct research, collate information, produce company profiles, and campaign for improved management of the minerals sector. They seek to stop exploration and mining in inappropriate areas or where the impacts are unacceptably high. MPI publishes Mining Monitor, a quarterly 16-page newsletter about the social, economic and environmental impacts of the mining industry.

Amigos Bravos, Friends of the Wild Rivers is a non-profit organization based in Northern New Mexico dedicated to the restoration and preservation of the Rio Grande watershed. Amigos Bravos is dedicated to preserving both the ecological and cultural richness of the Rio Grande watershed. Current projects include an Oral History Project on the Rio Grande; a Molywatch Campaign against the Molycorp molybdenum mine, whose pollution has killed eight miles of the Red River; a plan to recover the endangered Rio Grande silvery minnow and water rights reclamation in the community of Costilla. The site, available in English and Spanish, includes: Action Alerts, an Organizational Overview , Molycorp Watch, Staff & Board information, News, and other information.

USGS Mineral Resource Surveys Program now has the 1997 Mineral Commodity Summaries, which discuss events, trends, and issues in the domestic and international minerals industries. This site also includes the 1996 report The Role of Mineral Resource Assessments in Ecological Stewardship, fact sheets, Mineral Resource Newsletters, a list of minerals specialists, and access to the Mineral Resources Data System. Click here for USGS Minerals Yearbooks in downloadable PDF format for 1994 and 1995, organized by state.

Friends of the Earth is a national, non-profit advocacy organization dedicated to protecting the planet from environmental degradation; preserving biological, cultural, and ethnic diversity; and empowering citizens to have an influential voice in decisions affecting the quality of their environment -- and their lives.

Sustainable Energy and Anti-Uranium Service (SEA-US) is an Australian website with information about problems caused by uranium and nuclear energy; Australia's experience with uranium and nuclear power; nuclear history and timeline for both Australia and the world; the struggle of Australian Aborigines against uranium waste on their lands; "Uranium Deposits and Mines: Past-Present-Future?"; "Poorly Engineered Tailings Dams," links relating to uranium and alternative energy; a detailed glossary; and a detailed uranium discussion guide.