Commentary: SCC decision on Peel watershed in Yukon another win for First Nations
First Nations have just won an important lawsuit at the Supreme Court of Canada on account that the Yukon government had tried to do an end-run on their land claim…
Court Cases
SEC charges Rio Tinto with fraud
The U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has charged Rio Tinto (NYSE: RIO; LON: RIO) and two of its former executives with fraud for inflating the value of coal assets…
Helicopter attacked in mid-air at Tahoe’s Escobal
A helicopter carrying supplies to Tahoe Resources’ (TSX: THO; NYSE: TAHO) silver mine in Guatemala was attacked by small-arms fire from the ground, and the pilot had to make an…
Commentary: One theory on the root of Acacia’s troubles in Tanzania
Long-simmering resource nationalism in Tanzania heated up this March with a sudden export ban on ore concentrates by Tanzanian President John Magufuli, who said that “based on the information that…
Editorial: Barrick’s Acacia, Tanzanian gov’t stay on collision course
The months-long showdown between Barrick Gold’s 63.9%-owned subsidiary Acacia Mining and the Tanzanian government heated up in the last days of July, with Acacia reporting that one of its senior…
Japanese utility Tepco ends contract, Cameco to pursue legal rights
In a hastily convened February conference call, CEO Tim Gitzel of Cameco (TSX: CCO; NYSE: CCJ) vowed he would “vigorously pursue remedies to recover value for our shareholders and other…
Eco Oro files for arbitration against Colombian gov’t
Eco Oro Minerals (TSX: EOM) claims the Colombian government has eviscerated its US$250-million investment in the country and is filing for international arbitration. The Vancouver-based junior has been developing its…
Pressure grows on Samarco, one year after tailings disaster
Legal and financial pressures are mounting on Samarco, one year after a tailings dam failure sent 60 million cubic metres of mine waste and sludge into Brazil’s Rio Doce river…
Barrick takes fresh look at Pascua-Lama
Barrick Gold (TSX: ABX: NYSE: ABX) has rehired one of its former executives and a seasoned mine builder to evaluate options for a more modest, scalable starter project that could…
BLG’s Pletcher on Canada’s new rules for hostile bids
We sat down in Vancouver with Fred Pletcher, chair of the National Mining Group at legal firm Borden Ladner Gervais, to discuss Canada’s new hostile takeover rules and a securities…
Editorial: OSC creates whistle-blower program
The Ontario Securities Commission (OSC) has just launched a paid whistle-blower program — the first of its kind by a securities regulator in Canada. A whistle-blower under this program is…
Editorial: Northern Superior loses case in Ontario
A long-simmering legal case revolving around the duty to consult in Ontario’s Mining Act has been resolved, with plaintiff Northern Superior Resources having its action against the province of Ontario…