Comments on: Mining the Environment http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm Sustaining and Saving the Wild Coast Thu, 05 May 2011 10:49:24 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Jill Chiappini http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm/comment-page-1#comment-309 Jill Chiappini Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:46:37 +0000 http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm#comment-309 Africa is again raped. The Aborigines have been devastated by the Australians and now it is the turn of the people of Pondoland. Eco-tourism not mining. Africa is again raped. The Aborigines have been devastated by the Australians and now it is the turn of the people of Pondoland. Eco-tourism not mining.

]]> By: Jill Chiappini http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm/comment-page-1#comment-308 Jill Chiappini Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:45:22 +0000 http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm#comment-308 Once again Africa is to be raped. Having devastated the lives of their own Aboriginal people, the Australians are now starting on the people of Pondoland. The way to upliftment in this stunning area is eco-tourism, not short term, destruction in the form of mining. Once again Africa is to be raped. Having devastated the lives of their own Aboriginal people, the Australians are now starting on the people of Pondoland. The way to upliftment in this stunning area is eco-tourism, not short term, destruction in the form of mining.

]]> By: Jill Chiappini http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm/comment-page-1#comment-307 Jill Chiappini Sun, 20 Apr 2008 17:43:33 +0000 http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm#comment-307 So once again Africa is to be raped. This is complete madness. Eco-tourism is the way to uplift this community. This will not be possible if the Australians are allowed to continue with this devastation of a unique and beautiful coast and people. So once again Africa is to be raped. This is complete madness. Eco-tourism is the way to uplift this community. This will not be possible if the Australians are allowed to continue with this devastation of a unique and beautiful coast and people.

]]> By: Georgie Townsend http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm/comment-page-1#comment-67 Georgie Townsend Fri, 05 Oct 2007 03:05:10 +0000 http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm#comment-67 I spent a year in Port St Johns, Eastern Cape and feel that the natural assets and tourism potential of this area, far outweigh the benefits of letting a mining contract be given to an off shore company. I became aware of this venture in 2003 whilst living in Port St Johns. As an Australian I felt guilty for the greed of Transnational Companies who use money as their only language and bargaining tool. Mining this area which is rich in biodiversity and one of the last truly rural and wild coastal areas would be a regrettable. Profits would not remain in the country and at the end of the mining lease the problem could potentially be left to the locals to deal with. Yes, the Eastern Cape could do with upgraded access roads especially the R16 road and better access to health care and employment opportunities for communities closer to their homes, which a mining site may bring. I hope that the best decision is made for the people of this area and that they receive the necessary infrastructure to relieve the burden of unemployment and poverty, but not at the cost of the people, traditions or the local environment. Georgie Townsend Brisbane, Australia I spent a year in Port St Johns, Eastern Cape and feel that the natural assets and tourism potential of this area, far outweigh the benefits of letting a mining contract be given to an off shore company. I became aware of this venture in 2003 whilst living in Port St Johns. As an Australian I felt guilty for the greed of Transnational Companies who use money as their only language and bargaining tool. Mining this area which is rich in biodiversity and one of the last truly rural and wild coastal areas would be a regrettable. Profits would not remain in the country and at the end of the mining lease the problem could potentially be left to the locals to deal with.
Yes, the Eastern Cape could do with upgraded access roads especially the R16 road and better access to health care and employment opportunities for communities closer to their homes, which a mining site may bring.
I hope that the best decision is made for the people of this area and that they receive the necessary infrastructure to relieve the burden of unemployment and poverty, but not at the cost of the people, traditions or the local environment.

Georgie Townsend
Brisbane, Australia

]]> By: admin http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm/comment-page-1#comment-46 admin Thu, 30 Aug 2007 09:10:45 +0000 http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm#comment-46 Val Payn: While I am unable to comment on the availability or not of mineral resources in Australia, it does seem that First World nations are often guilty of unfairly exploiting the natural resources of Third World countries to 'feed' First world economies. Mining the Pondoland Wild Coast has been likened to mining the Great Barrier Reef for coral, or Ayers Rock for granite. The majority of subsistance communities that live in the proposed mining area, and who will be most affected by the mining, are highly adverse to the mining as a land use option. In this sense their fight for recognition for the right to determine land use can be likened to the Aboriginal fight for recognition against the Vestey company, as sung about in Kelly and Carmody's folk song 'From Little Things Big Things Grow'. Val Payn SWC communications Val Payn:
While I am unable to comment on the availability or not of mineral resources
in Australia, it does seem that First World nations are often guilty of
unfairly exploiting the natural resources of Third World countries to ‘feed’
First world economies. Mining the Pondoland Wild Coast has been likened to
mining the Great Barrier Reef for coral, or Ayers Rock for granite.
The majority of subsistance communities that live in the proposed mining
area, and who will be most affected by the mining, are highly adverse to the
mining as a land use option. In this sense their fight for recognition for
the right to determine land use can be likened to the Aboriginal fight for
recognition against the Vestey company, as sung about in Kelly and Carmody’s
folk song ‘From Little Things Big Things Grow’.
Val Payn
SWC communications

]]> By: Anne Price http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm/comment-page-1#comment-43 Anne Price Tue, 28 Aug 2007 10:50:06 +0000 http://www.swc.org.za/mining-the-environment.htm#comment-43 IS THE FOLLOWING NOT THE MAIN REASON WHY FIRST WORLD COMPANIES HAVE TO RAID THE RESOURCES OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD? Australia’s mineral sands resources are assessed each year by Geoscience Australia (http://www.ga.gov.au/pdf/RR0112.pdf). Australia is rich in mineral sands resources but because they are mainly located at or near the coast their mining competes with other land uses such as national parks, urban or tourist development and recreation. Allocation of land to other uses has rendered some mineral sands resources inaccessible to exploration or mining. Some 19%, 26% and 30% of Australia’s economic resources of ilmenite, rutile and zircon are unavailable. Areas quarantined from mining and now largely incorporated into national parks include- Moreton, Bribie and Fraser Island; Cooloola sand mass north of Noosa; Byfield sand mass and Shoalwater Bay area in Queensland; and Yuraygir, Bundjalung, Hat Head and Myall Lakes National Parks in New South Wales. IS THE FOLLOWING NOT THE MAIN REASON WHY FIRST WORLD COMPANIES HAVE TO RAID THE RESOURCES OF THE DEVELOPING WORLD?
Australia’s mineral sands resources are assessed each year by Geoscience Australia (http://www.ga.gov.au/pdf/RR0112.pdf). Australia is rich in mineral sands resources but because they are mainly located at or near the coast their mining competes with other land uses such as national parks, urban or tourist development and recreation. Allocation of land to other uses has rendered some mineral sands resources inaccessible to exploration or mining. Some 19%, 26% and 30% of Australia’s economic resources of ilmenite, rutile and zircon are unavailable. Areas quarantined from mining and now largely incorporated into national parks include- Moreton, Bribie and Fraser Island; Cooloola sand mass north of Noosa; Byfield sand mass and Shoalwater Bay area in Queensland; and Yuraygir, Bundjalung, Hat Head and Myall Lakes National Parks in New South Wales.

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