Global Investigative Journalism Network’s Post

🚨STARTING IN 10 MINUTES🚨 🖥️ GIJN Webinar: How Latin America Connects to Your Story. This session, part of #LATAMFocusWeek, will delve into stories about deforestation, drugs, & mining, providing tips & tools to pursue groundbreaking investigations:

The Lithium Rush in Africa - Global Witness: The Lithium Rush in Africa  Global Witness

Have you ever considered how #GraphTechnology can be a powerful ally in combating corruption and promoting #transparency in public information? 🤔 That's exactly what the Mongolian Data Club accomplished by assisting citizens in accessing factual information about state-run mining companies in Mongolia. They designed a #DataAnalysis project to show how public open datasets can be used to uncover important issues and bring public attention to who is supplying what, for how much and whether there are any links between suppliers and high-ranking public officials. 🧐 Check what they found: https://bit.ly/3InP62F

📢 NEW IPIS REPORT 📢  Since 2009, IPIS has mapped over 2,800 #ASM sites in the eastern #DRC, and published regular updates on ASM in the region. This report is IPIS' 2023 update; focusing on linkages between mining, conflict and insecurity in ASM 👉 https://lnkd.in/eDYG45aK   To see our web map, click here 👉https://lnkd.in/eyu4Y65k 🔗 Regarding linkages between ASM, armed interference, conflict financing and insecurity, the report found that 👇    ◾️ While large scale armed conflict over minerals in the DRC has lessened over the past twenty years, minerals remain linked to conflict. 61% of miners surveyed suffer ‘interference’ (i.e. illegal rent-seeking) by armed actors.   ◾️ Armed groups interfere at 29% of the mines visited by IPIS. Recent ententes with the army, against M23, have emboldened some armed groups such as NDC-R, galvanizing further interference at lucrative gold sites.  ◾️ The largest interferent (37% of mines) is the Congolese army (FARDC). Illicit revenue-generating practices by the army currently impact over 55,800 ASM miners.     ❗IPIS also identified other drivers of insecurity in ASM beyond direct conflict financing and armed interference, these include 👇    ⛏️ The omnipresence of former rebels at mining sites. Now miners, their potential reactivation of links to armed groups jeopardizes stakeholders and (mining) governance.    🌍 An international rush for DRC minerals, which include lax trade regimes in neighbouring states that facilitate gold trafficking. But also a growing number of semi-industrial exploitations which disregard legal obligations, use questionable security arrangements, contribute to predatory patronage networks and undermine social cohesion.    🚺 Gender and ethnic-based discrimination produce social barriers which prevent many women and minorities from full access to mineral supply chains, especially in a formal way. This contributes to socioeconomic inequality in ASM and can create tensions.    🏛️ Governance of ASM. Implementation of legal provisions is lacking, most miners work informally and predatory behavior by state agents is quite common. Extortion of ASM by armed actors must therefore be understood within a broader context of systemic corruption, ‘legal pluralism,’ and a ‘climate of predation.’    ⚖️ Responsible mineral sourcing initiatives face several challenges. These include continuous extortion of miners and traders (e.g. at roadblocks), and inaccurate tagging practices by state agents, enabling illicitly produced minerals to enter ‘responsible' mineral supply chains. There are also structural issues: an overreliance on underpaid state agents, the exclusionary nature of sourcing initiatives, (political) elite capture and lack of an in-depth evaluation (co-)managed by DRC stakeholders. 

Sometimes what's critical is to cut through the noise Marlow Global's report goes to the heart of four key issues in criticality : political risk, finance, State incentives and, lest we forget, the imperative of responsibility. Even more impressively, it does so by combining market and policy perspectives, from resource-rich and consumer regions. Beyond (political) rhetoric and (investment) promotion, the work needs doing - and I'm not certain it's actually on track. This is a must-read to get a bird's eye view of one of the most pressing and complex challenges of our times: how to responsibly source and use the minerals we need to transition. My congratulations and gratitude to the excellent Marlow Global team, it's an honour to stand with you as Advisory Board member. #responsiblemining #responsibleinvestment #criticalminerals #criticalrawmaterials

It has been widely reported that a capex of $2tn is needed to build out the supply of #criticalminerals for the #energytransition. This report, published by Marlow Global, warns of the intense struggle captivating the global #supplychain ownership. Further, it highlights the funding challenges that beset the sector - from exploration through to the need to establish processing capacity outside of the dominance of China. While the primary topic is increasingly well-known, this report comes from outside the #mining sector and delivers a viewpoint that incorprates many #political, #diplomatic and #economic topics not normally talked about, yet are growing in importance and complexity. My thanks to Marlow Global and Laura Rich for including me in the research of the report.

Four Lawmakers Denounce Plan to Ease Sanctions on Mining Executive - Top Picks Pavilion https://buff.ly/3wOWr9o #lawmakers #sanctions #sanction #mining #miningexecutive #lawmaker

In this week’s Frontier Markets newsletter: South Korea-Africa mining deals, EU-Tajikistan infrastructure investment, Turkish inflation tests support for economic orthodoxy, Mercosur turns east, and more. Want to receive FMN’s global synthesis of market moving stories in your inbox? Subscribe today. #emergingmarkets #frontiermarkets #macroeconomics #finance

Troubling findings and conclusions by Grahame Russell of Rights Action: It appears that the Q’eqchi’ people [in Guatemala] are condemned to ever more mining-caused violence and harms, as Canada and the US work to secure control over supply chains of “green energy” minerals for North American investors and consumers....It is hard to come up with a more blatant example of US and Canadian economic imperialism. According to a memo obtained by Newsweek, “with the support of the US government, the Guatemalan assets of the Switzerland-based Solway Investment Group—which were put under US sanctions amid allegations of Russian influence peddling and ecological devastation—are in line for acquisition by [Montreal-based Central America Nickel] for a "substantial discount."... According to Canadian government policy, what is on or under Q’eqchi’ lands are vital to “our national security and critical minerals supply chains.” #greenenergy #greeneconomy #sustainability #imperialism #ethics #mining

New Post: Research Group Established to Investigate Gold Trade Violence in Africa - https://lnkd.in/e38pbmix Group Established to Investigate Gold Trade Violence in Africahttps://lnkd.in/eSCDMErM researchers and human rights activists have established a joint investigation into the role Western mining companies play in funding violence in Africa’s gold trade.   Alistair Mathias, gold smuggler International researchers and human rights activists have established a joint investigation into the role Western mining companies play in funding violence in Africa’s gold trade.   The Blood Gold Report research programme will explore deals between western mining companies, authoritarian African governments and Russian mercenaries including the paramilitary organisation, the Wagner Group. The research will initially focus on Mali, a resource-rich nation where the junta is currently propped up by Russian mercenaries. “Mali stands out for several reasons,” David Clement, a researcher for 21 Democracy and the Blood Gold Report, told Mining Technology. “It has turned away from democracy, and its military government is supported by the Wagner Group. They have driven out the UN peacekeeping mission, and they have been found to have committed atrocities – and still, several major western mining companies continue to operate there.” Following the Wagner Group’s attempted rebellion against the Russian Kremlin this June, the extent of its involvement in Africa’s metal trade has been under scrutiny. “Our concern is that gold is fuelling violence in Africa and Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. Society’s expectations of companies have shifted since Russia’s invasion started, and this industry should be no different,” Clement went on. The Blood Gold Report, established last week, is calling for submissions from any interested parties including industry, civil society, politicians and academics. According to Clement, “the fundamental question for industry is this: ‘How can you give confidence to investors and consumers that they are not buying ‘Blood Gold’?” Mali’s gold mining industry is home to extensive human rights violations. According to the International Federation of Human Rights, mining companies active in Mali are “eschewing legal obligations and social responsibilities” when it comes to preserving the rights of Malian workers. Accountability for mining companies  “Ultimately the goal of the research is accountability. If companies choose to partner with military dictatorships, human rights violators, the Wagner group, then investors and the public deserve to know,” Clement told Mining Technology. “And with that accountability, will hopefully come better decision-making that ensures the gold indust