Mines – Sector.Africa

Workers at Industrial Copper-Cobalt Mining Companies in DRC at Risk During COVID19 crisis

August 2, 2020August 31, 2020 Sector.Africa AdministratorCompanies, Copper, COVID-19, Government, IndustriALL Global Union, Mines, Mining, Pandemic, Personal protective equipment, Sanitation, Sick leave, Social distancing, Water

Last month, in the wake of serious reports of worker mistreatment in industrial copper-cobalt mines, ten Congolese and International NGOs alongside the Congolese affiliate of IndustriALL Global Union wrote in the southern Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) with grave concerns about the treatment of mineworkers during the COVID-19 pandemic. Workers in the industrial copper-cobalt mines of , many owned and operated by multinationals, have been forced to choose between being confined in the mine site or taking leave with fear of unemployment or lack of paid sick leave. For workers…

Africa Covid19 Government Healthcare

‘We have now reached the surge’: South Africa braces for deadly impact of coronavirus COVID-19

August 1, 2020August 31, 2020 Sector.Africa AdministratorAfrica, Cape Town, Coronavirus, COVID-19, Critical care, Cyril Ramaphosa, Distancing, Economy, Gauteng, Government, Health, healthcare, hospital, Hygiene, Infection, Johannesburg, Lockdown, Mask, masks, Mines, Pandemic, Patient, Poverty, Sanitation, security, Shopping, Social distancing, South Africa, Test, Testing, The Number, Transport, Vaccine, Virus, Water, Wealth

In a country named by the World Bank as the most unequal place on earth, the coronavirus has ripped open old wounds in South Africa. Despite the end of white minority rule more than two decades ago, some experts suggest a recent lockdown has highlighted how urban areas are still divided along racial lines. As predominantly white South Africans isolated themselves in suburban compounds with gardens and space, community advocate Edward Molopi says many black people didn’t have that luxury. “Data from the Western Cape demonstrates that black townships have…

Covid19 South America

Chilean copper miners threaten strike over alarming increase in Covid-19 cases

June 19, 2020 Sector.Africa AdministratorAntofagasta PLC, Business, care, Chemistry, China, Compañía Minera San Esteban Primera, Companies, Contagion, Copper, Coronavirus, Coronavirus outbreak, COVID-19, Economy, El Salvador mine, Health, Mines, Natural sciences, Pandemic, Physical sciences, Quarantine, Safe, Safety, security, Virus, World0 comment

SANTIAGO – Chilean copper miners’ unions called on Sunday for a re-evaluation of the operational continuity plans of the country’s biggest miners during what they said was an “alarming” increase in coronavirus cases among workers. In a statement signed by the union leadership of state-owned Codelco, the Mines Federation – which groups the majority of workers for Chile’s major copper mines – rejected the “business as usual” discourse advanced by miners and the mines minister, Baldo Prokurica. “The increase in cases is alarming and demonstrates that the preventive measures implemented…

Africa Healthcare Mining

Workers paid allowance after strike at DRC mine

June 16, 2020August 31, 2020 Sector.Africa AdministratorCompanies, COVID-19, Death, Global union federation, IndustriALL Global Union, Industries, Katanga Province, Mines, Mining, Quarantine, security, Tenke Fungurume Mine, Transport

The strike led to negotiations with the mine management that then led to the payment of a special allowance of US$600 to the 6,000 mineworkers confined to the mine site during the quarantine. The company has so far paid US$500 to each of the workers. The allowance workers also want to be paid for the overtime that they worked during this period. Work continued at the mine during the quarantine because mining is defined as an essential service under Congolese law. IndustriALL Global Union affiliates Secrétariat des Syndicats de IndustriALL…

Mining

Congo suspends board and management of state diamond miner MIBA

June 9, 2020June 9, 2020 Sector.Africa AdministratorAudit, Countries, Diamond, ear, Geography of Africa, Government, Kasai-Oriental, Mbuji-Mayi, Mines, Mining, president, Societé Minière de Bakwanga0 comment

The Democratic Republic of Congo has suspended the board of directors and management of state-controlled diamond mining company MIBA, after an audit revealed significant irregularities, the government said in a statement. The audit identified a host of problems including compliance, governance, production and financial management, the statement by Congo president’s office said following a council of ministers meeting on Friday. It added that Congo’s mines ministry will propose measures to revamp the company. Founded in 1961, MIBA was formerly a jewel in minerals-rich Congo’s minerals industry, with gold, nickel and…