Mining Company Questionnaire

Mining Company Questionnaire

This questionnaire was sent to each of the Canadian companies implicated in mining activities in Tibet on July 2, 2009. To date not one company has replied.
Labour rights
1.      What steps will be taken to hire and train Tibetan workers?
a.     Will all applicable hiring announcements be available in Tibetan and distributed in Tibet?
2.    What percentage of employees will be Tibetan at your operations in Tibet?
a.     In real terms this represents how many?
b.    How will these hires be divided between operational levels?
3.    Will you permit your Tibetan operations to be independently unionized?
4.    Will you adopt and provide to the CTC a site-specific Employment Standards program?
5.     What independent means will be employed to enforce such an Employment Standards program?
a.     Do you agree to establish an independent expert reference group to review complaints or differences and provide guidance if employees do not believe that standards are met?
b.    Will local communities be permitted to be involved in the establishment of such reference groups and the choice of its members?
6.    If you do not intend at this time to have an Employment Standards program, are you prepared to work with the CTC to develop such a program?
7.     Will all workers be given cross-cultural training to local customs and languages?
Health & Safety
1.      Will you provide the CTC with the mine’s health and safety policy?
a.     Is this policy specific to the needs of Tibetan employees and affected communities?
2.    Will you establish functioning health and safety committees?
3.    Will you translate the health and safety policy and all relevant documents into Tibetan?
Environmental sustainability
1.      Have you adopted the International Council on Mining & Minerals principles?
a.     If so, how do you hold yourself accountable to such principles?
2.    Have you received ISO 14000 certification?
3.    Will you provide the CTC with the mine’s Environmental Impact Statement for independent review?
4.    What is the anticipated life of the mine?
5.     What measures are in place to contain and treat all effluent and toxic waste?
6.    What are the emergency procedure policies that are in place?
7.     What processes will you employ to treat effluent and toxic waste prior to its discharge into the local environment?
8.    Will you provide the CTC with access to weekly environmental monitoring reports?
a.     Are you prepared to establish joint environmental monitoring committees with affected communities?
9.    What is the amount of the environmental reclamation bond that you are required to hold and in what legal jurisdiction is that bond held?
10.                        If employees or local communities do not believe that environmental standards are being met, will you agree to establish an independent expert reference group to review complaints or difference and provide guidance?
a.     Will local communities be permitted to be involved in the establishment of such reference groups and the choice of its members?
Corporate Social Responsibility
1.      In light of the Canadian Mining Industry’s support of the recommendations contained in “The National Roundtables on Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and the Canadian Extractive Industry in Developing Countries Advisory Group Report” (March 29, 2007); are you prepared to adopt these practices in your Tibet operations through a legally binding agreement signed under the laws of British Columbia?
2.    Will you adopt, abide by and apply applicable international human rights agreements to your operation including the eight core ILO conventions, the International Bill of Human Rights, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and its two covenants, and ILO 169?
3.    Have you completed a socio-economic impact statement and, if so, will you provide it to the CTC for independent review?
a.     If employees or affected communities do not believe that the statement’s recommendations are met, will you agree to establish an independent expert reference group to review complaints or differences and provide guidance?
b.    Will local communities be permitted to be involved in the establishment of such reference groups and the choice of its members?
4.    If you have not completed a socio-economic impact statement, please explain why not.
5.     Have you conducted any independent local, community-based consultations? If yes:
a.     Were third-party experts retained to complete these studies and, if so, who and what were their terms of employment?
b.    Did you employ World Bank standards for consultations, including but not limited to broad community support with the free, prior and informed consent of the local population
c.     How did you attempt to ensure that affected citizens were able to freely express themselves during these consultations?
d.     If broad community support does not exist are your prepared to withdraw or fully address concerns until such support is received?
6.    Will you provide the CTC with all documents pertaining to these consultations?
7.     Have you met with representatives of the Tibetan Government-in-Exile?
a.     If not, are you prepared to meet with representatives?
8.    Will you commit to comply with their guidelines for International Development Projects & Sustainable Investment?
9.    Will you allow the CTC to undertake unannounced site visits?
10.                        What steps have company officials and management taken to acquaint themselves with Tibetan customs, culture and religion?
11. Are you prepared to waive jurisdictional rights in the event that affected communities are forced to resort to the Canadian judicial system to protect rights? If yes:
a.     Are you prepared to sign the appropriate jurisdictional agreements at this time?
Royalties
1.      What percentage of mining revenue will be returned directly to the local community and affected citizens?
2.    How will you ensure that such funds are independently administered by the affected communities themselves?
3.    How will the mine contribute to local, community-based development throughout the life of the mine?
Inter-Citic Minerals Inc.
Mr. James J. Moore
President & CEO 
Inter-Citic Minerals Inc.
60 Columbia Way, Suite 501
Markham, Ontario, L3R 0C9
T – (905) 479-5072
F – (905) 479-6397
Direct line: (905) 479-5072 x. 224
E-mail: jmoore@inter-citic.com
Silk Road Resources Ltd.
Mr. David Bell
Interim Chief Executive Officer
Silk Road Resources
P.O. Box 960, 31 Adelaide Street East
Toronto, ON M5C 2K3

T – (416) 363-6040
F – (416) 363-6048
Email: info@silkroadresources.ca

Continental Minerals (Hunter Dickinson)
Mr. David Copeland
President and CEO
Continental Minerals
1020 – 800 West Pender St.
Vancouver, B.C. V6C 2V6
T – 604.684.6365
F – 604.684.8092
Email – info@hdgold.com
Eldorado Gold Corp,
Mr. Paul N. Wright
President & CEO
Eldorado Gold
1188 – 550 Burrard Street, Bentall 5
Vancouver, BC V6C 2B5
T – (604) 687-4018 / Toll Free 1-888-353-8166
F – (604) 687-4026
Maxy Gold Corp,
Mr. Andre Gauthier
President & CEO
Maxy Gold Corporation
Suite 1578, 609 Granville St.
Vancouver, BC V7Y 1G5
T – (604) 688-8811
F – (604) 688-8852
Silvercorp Metals Inc.,
Mr. Rui Feng
Chairman and CEO
Silvercorp Metals Inc.
Suite 1378 – 200 Granville Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 1S4
T – (604) 669-9397 / Toll Free 1-888-224-1881
F – (604) 669-9387
 
Sterling Group Ventures Inc.
Mr. Raoul N. Tsakok
Chairman & CEO
Sterling Group Ventures Inc.
Suite 900 – 789 West Pender Street
Vancouver, BC V6C 1H2

T – 604-893-8891
F – 604-408-8515
Email: info@sterlinggroupventures.com

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