Tag: natural resources
Economic Growth and Environmental Sustainability: The Colombian Case
Colombia is one of the richest countries in the world in terms of biodiversity, and it is generously endowed with forests, water, and mineral resources. It is considered one of the world’s mega-diverse countries and has abundant renewable and non-renewable resources.
Resource Card : Uranium
Principal region of extraction : Canada, US, Russia, Australia, Kazakhstan, Niger, Namibia
Method of extraction : in 2012
- in-situ leach (44.9%)
- Underground mining (26.2%)
- Open pit (19.9%)
- Heap leaching (1.7%)
- Recovering from seawater (residual)
Stakeholders : Producing States, Multinationals (see map above), States using uranium to produce electricity (see map below), miners, local populations, some NGOs, supranational organs (UN, EU…)…
Key issues :
- Health risks of uranium mining : lung cancer
- Need for clean-up efforts
- Environmental effects : impact on surface water quality and quantity, groundwater quantity and quality, soils, air quality and biota
- Management of waste and its environmental consequences
- Industrial accidents (Chernobyl, Fukushima…)
- Distribution of income
Exchange rate : NYMEX : 24.40 USD (-2.40%)… Read More
Resource Card : Diamond
Main regions of extraction : Botswana, Russia, Canada, Namibia, Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Australia, Congo (in 2015)
Method of extraction : industrial or traditional
- Pipe mining (primary deposits): open-pit mining, underground mining
- Alluvial mining (secondary deposits)
- Marine mining
Process of recovery :
1- Crushing
2 – Scrubbing
3 – Cyclonic separation plant
4 – Recovery
5 – Cleaned, weighted and packaged
Stakeholders : States, mining firms, luxury goods industry, customers, rebel armed groups, workers…
Key issues :
- Conflict/blood diamond : human right abuses, labor conditions, child labor, violence, civil wars…
- Kimberley Process : ignores some issues (human rights abuse, environment…)
- Environmental costs : land and water devastated
- Illegal mining
- Traceability
Exchange rate : Mineral : Nasdaq OTC Bull : 0.0228 USD (+3.64%)
Other key words :
4 C’s : cut, clarity, color, carat weight
Synthetic diamonds
Ethical diamonds
The Magical State Meets the Magical Currency: What would Coronil have to say?
President Maduro just announced a cryptocurrency to be backed by the Venezuelan oil, gold, and diamonds reserves. The act was justified as a way of overcoming American financial blockades and stop American attempts of ending socialism in Latin America.… Read More
The Bridge of Diversity: Inside a Chinese Infrastructure Project in Mozambique
Running for Resources Again?
As industrialization took off in Europe at the 19th Century, Imperialists rushed to Africa to ensure the natural resources necessary for powering the metropole. Violence and deep exploitation followed, completely impeding the development of the African countries.… Read More
Space Mining : Has a New War Begun ?
Luxembourg is the first European country to have authorised exploitation and use of natural resources in or coming from space this year, the US had been the first to implement such a legislation in 2015 through the so-called Space Act.… Read More