Land in Meghalaya, India, was traditionally agricultural land, owned by the community. With increasing privatization and rising commercial value of land for non-agricultural use, many owners have sold the land for mining operations. So-called rat-hole coal mining has resulted in environmental degradation as well as in the loss of lives of miners, most of whom are from outside the state. The National Green Tribunal has banned coal mining until safer, more environmentally sound policies and practices are in place.

The development of international mining projects is one of the most visible consequences of globalisation. But developments in the mining industry are the cause of about 10.3 percent of all displacements in the world. This means that more than a million people per year may be resettled as a result of resource extraction in various parts of the globe. Countries displaying the greatest growth rate of this phenomenon include India, China, Ghana, and many other African counties.

This report is primarily based on a review of research into the role of voluntary activities in the mining sector.

Based on case studies of mining in South Africa and Zambia, this article assesses CSR practices with accountability and fairness as key criteria.Main findings and conclusions of the report are:CSR is an increasingly prominent discourse also in southern Africa, particularly among mining companies due to mining’s potentially significant negative social and environmental impacts as well as inherent finiteness of the resource bodyaccountability - the emphasis on identifying and mitigating the impacts of core business practices - and fairness - the emphasis on helping the most vulnerable - are k

This U4 Issue discusses the corruption risks faced by mining companies in Guatemala, with a particular focus on the risks faced by small, “junior” mining companies primarily engaged in exploration.

Mutual suspicion has characterised the relationship between the South African government and mining companies, particularly in recent years. Resolving the current impasse would require a panoply of policy interventions because of the complexity and age of the mining industry. This briefing proposes that one such intervention could be the introduction of a structured workplace secondment programme between the Department of Mineral Resources (DMR) and mining companies – together identifying critical areas for co-operation and skills transfer.

This report explores how the illicit trade in cobalt and copper in Katanga (south-eastern Democratic Republic of Congo) is contributing to the destruction of the country’s economy, the environment as well as the livelihoods of thousands of Congolese people.As the report demonstrates, the volume of the illegal mineral trade is immense. In March 2004 the Central Bank of Congo reported the DRC produced 783 tonnes of cobalt metal.

This report analyses all aspects of the metals mining industry, the extraction process, its products, and its social and environmental impacts.

Countries throughout the world are rapidly urbanising, particularly in the developing world, and for the first time in human history, the majority of people today are no longer living in rural areas, but rather in cities. This report examines the worldwide phenomenon of urbanisation from the point of view of women’s housing rights.

Based on travel to diamond fields in Guinea, Sierra Leone, Angola and the DRC, the study examines the reality on the ground.

This article explains the historical development of the water regime in Indonesia and analyses the position of water rights and human rights to water under Indonesian Constitution.

Natural sand from estuary and coastal land is one of South Africa’s most valuable resources. However, there has recently been a drastic increase in uncontrolled and unauthorised sand mining activities in rivers, valleys and estuaries throughout the country. The frameworks governing small-scale sand mining in South Africa lack the necessary financial and human resource capacities to support better environmental compliance, and the enforcement mechanisms to successfully deter illegal activities are weak.