Might International Mining Sustainability Standards help protect our Boundary Waters?

You may have noticed that Russia and Russians have been much in the news recently. Every mention reminds us of President Reagan's citation, when dealing with nuclear disarmament, of the Russian proverb "Trust, but verify!" We believe following that old proverb could be very helpful in protecting one of Minnesota's most treasured resources, the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness from the onslaught of copper mining. Here's our logic, yet to be verified.

• Twin Metals Minnesota is a wholly owned subsidiary of Antofagasta plc of Santiago, Chile, one of the top 10 copper producers in the world. Twin Metals Minnesota maintains offices in Ely and St. Paul, Minnesota. (source: <http://www.twin-metals.com/who-we-are/>, 7/19/18, ~12:15 pm)
• Antofagasta Minerals is a member of the International Council on Mining & Metals [ICMM]. They joined in 2014.
• ICMM member companies commit to a set of 10 principles, eight supporting position statements and transparent and accountable reporting practices.
• ICMM principles of particular relevance to mining and protected areas are:

•     Principle 6: Pursue continual improvement in environmental performance issues, such as water stewardship, energy use and climate change.

•     Principle 7: Contribute to the conservation of biodiversity and integrated approaches to land-use planning.

• Further clarifications of those commitments include

• Not explore or mine in World Heritage properties. All possible steps will be taken to ensure that existing operations in World Heritage properties as well as existing and future operations adjacent to World Heritage properties are not incompatible with the outstanding universal value for which these properties are listed and do not put the integrity of these properties at risk. 

•  Identification of World Heritage properties follow standards from the International Union for Conservation of Nature [IUCN] including 

• Ib Wilderness Area: Category Ib protected areas are usually large unmodified or slightly modified areas, retaining their natural character and influence without permanent or significant human habitation, which are protected and managed so as to preserve their natural condition. more...

• II National Park: Category II protected areas are large natural or near natural areas set aside to protect large-scale ecological processes, along with the complement of species and ecosystems characteristic of the area, which also provide a foundation for environmentally and culturally compatible, spiritual, scientific, educational, recreational, and visitor opportunities. more...

would mining activities enhance this?

Photo by J. Harrington

We believe that the Boundary Waters and much of the surrounding areas largely qualify as category Ib and/or II. We've seen no indication that the question of compliance with ICMM principles by Twin Metals has been put to ICMM, IUCN and/or Angofasta. Is the pursuit of Twin Metals exploration and/or the development of the contemplated mine consistent with or in violation of ICMM principles? If the latter, is it not therefore qualified as a sustainable source of copper for the future.

We posted about this theme a couple of years ago, before the Twin Metals project was declared off limits. Now folks are trying to bring it back "on limits" so the questions again seem relevant and ripe for verification. Answers could go a very long way toward demonstrating whether ICMM principles and standards are real, or just a long-winded version of greenwash. They might also provide Minnesota with improved tools for managing mining and its impacts in the state.

History

Linda Hogan

This is the word that is always bleeding.

You didn’t think this

until your country changes and when it thunders

you search your own body

for a missing hand or leg.

In one country, there are no bodies shown,

lies are told

and the keep hidden the weeping children on dusty streets.

But I do remember once

a woman and a child in beautiful blue clothing

walking over a dune, spreading a green cloth,

drinking nectar with mint and laughing

beneath a sky of clouds from the river

near the true garden of Eden.

Now another country is breaking

this holy vessel

where stone has old stories

and the fire creates clarity in the eyes of a child

who will turn it to hate one day.

We are so used to it now,

this country where we do not love enough,

that country where they do not love enough,

and that.

We do not need a god by any name

nor do we need to fall to our knees or cover ourselves,

enter a church or a river,

only do we need to remember what we do

to one another, it is so fierce

what any of our fathers may do to a child

what any of our brothers or sisters do to nonbelievers,

how we try to discover who is guilty

by becoming guilty,

because history has continued

to open the veins of the world

more and more

always in its search

for something gold.

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