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2 weeks ago | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin
Mining giant failing to deliver on promises of worker safety, human rights guarantees and environmental protectionToday Earthworks, in partnership with Instituto Cordilheira and Movimento pelas Serras e Águas de Minas Gerais (MovSAM), published a report that shows the extent to which Vale S.A. is responsible for serious and ongoing human rights violations at its mining operations in Minas Gerais, Brazil.
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1 month ago | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin |Jennifer Krill
Congressman Raúl Grijalva passed away on March 13 at the age of 77. He leaves a lasting legacy as a dedicated champion for Indigenous People; environmental justice; and oil, gas, and mining-impacted communities. Mr. Grijalva served the people in his district, and served the country, with humility and authenticity. And those he served loved him because he fought for them.
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1 month ago | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin |Raquel Dominguez
Reuters has reported that the Trump administration plans to issue an Executive Order to build minerals refining facilities on military bases. This stems from the president’s speech to Congress promising to expand extraction and processing of energy transition minerals, particularly rare earth elements. These minerals are used in renewable energy technologies like electric vehicle batteries; they also have military uses.
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2 months ago | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin |Jared Naimark
A new plan would allow certain industries to bypass full environmental review in California’s Imperial Valley. The plan is supposedly designed to encourage lithium extraction, but it does away with important permitting requirements for certain other industries. This greenwashing would harm the health of local communities, bulldoze over Indigenous Peoples’ rights, and worsen demands on the already overtaxed Colorado River, an important lifeline for residents and the economy.
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Feb 13, 2025 | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin |Raquel Dominguez
The mining industry claims that the United States needs to speed up mine permitting to secure the minerals needed for the renewable energy transition. But make no mistake, these and any other actions that seek to boost extraction benefit mining companies alone.
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Jan 30, 2025 | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin |Aaron Mintzes
Even though the President supports mining in the US, his policies might send US minerals into foreign-made EVs sold back to Americans. This strategy might lead to mineral dependence rather than the dominance he craves. President Trump’s call for “mineral dominance” may have the opposite of its intended effect. Last week, the President signed three Executive Orders (EO) on mining.
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Dec 10, 2024 | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin
No Agreement Reached After Three Days of Meetings Between Barrick Gold and Communities in the Dominican RepublicGuest blog by María Alejandra Torres GarcíaIn the Dominican Republic, Barrick Gold, a mining company, is proposing building a second dam to contain mine waste, which would mean six communities would have to relocate. These communities are already affected by polluted water and damaged crops.
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Oct 23, 2024 | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin
In October and November of last year, Panamanians took to the streets in record numbers in one of the largest mass mobilizations the country has ever seen, lasting over a month. The protests were in response to an illegal contract between the Canadian mining company, First Quantum Minerals (FQM), and the government that allowed the company to continue operating a controversial copper mine.
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Sep 5, 2024 | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin
A new mining trade association statement on mining and Indigenous Peoples fails to advance Indigenous rights and creates unnecessary confusion, risking further violations of Indigenous Peoples’ rights worldwide. The statement comes as demand for energy transition minerals, which are used in EV batteries and other renewable energy technologies, is skyrocketing. More than half of energy transition minerals worldwide are on Indigenous Peoples’ lands.
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Aug 27, 2024 | 
earthworks.org | BRENDAN MCLAUGHLIN |Brendan McLaughlin
Meeting the ambitious targets necessary to avert climate catastrophe will require scaling up our use of low-carbon energy sources. These solar, wind, and battery technologies, including electric vehicle (EV) batteries, currently rely on minerals such as cobalt, lithium, nickel, graphite, and rare earths which are almost exclusively mined or extracted from the ground at great cost to the environment and communities.
