Source: PNG Mine Watch

Experimental Seabed Mining (Graphic: Greenpeace)

Itsounds futuristic, but a Canadian company has struck a deal with Papua New Guinea to mine gold and other metals from deep beneath the sea. Greenpeace campaigner Richard Page tells host Steve Curwood the project raises concerns about the impact on life in the deep ocean.

Source: OurLandOurBusiness

WHOSE LAND IS IT ANYWAY? Right now, millions of people are being thrown off their land because large corporations are being given special rights. The World Bank is driving this destructive trend with its Doing Business rankings, which force countries to compete with each other to do away with things like environmental protections, workers rights and corporation taxes. Sign on to demand the abolition of the rankings.

Follow Link to sign;http://ourlandourbusiness.org/#home

Source: Radio Australia

Source: Radio Australia

The Australian government has opened new midwifery training facilities in Papua New Guinea's capital Port Moresby to boost the number of qualified midwives.

Australia's Minister for Foreign Affairs Julie Bishop announced the $7.5 million Kina funding to help train 500 more midwives by next year.

Dr Nancy Buasi, head of the PNG Midwifery Society, says a lack of resources means that number will be hard to achieve.

But Dr Buasi says the funding will be very important for the training of midwifery.

Source: PNG Mine Watch

Collecting more information about the marine environment is a “critical need” if people are to make informed decisions about seabed mining, said the Director General of the South Pacific Regional Environment Program

Source: Cook Islands News

Alison Swaddling, an Environment Advisor with Deep Sea Minerals (DSM) Project, made a presentation on environmental considerations at this week’s workshop being held at the Rarotongan Beach Resort and Spa. 14051321

Attendees at this week’s deep sea minerals workshop heard about the environmental issues of mining on the seabed floor.

Source: PNG Loop

Chan seems to have had a change of heart since he was Prime Minister

Customary landowners will be in control of minerals found on their land under law changes proposed by Governor of New Ireland and former Prime Minister Sir Julius Chan.

They will also be able to have much more direct interest in development of natural resources under the plan presented to the government today.

Source: The Post Courier

A FIVE-DAY workshop is being held in Cook Islands this week which aims to help Pacific island countries better understand deep sea mining.

According to the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC), which is holding this regional workshop, deep sea minerals could greatly improve the economies and livelihoods of the Pacific Islands countries if the funds from this mines are used and managed wisely.

Source: Ariana Kaknivious in Canadian Geographic

The 310,000-kilogram Bulk Cutter is one of the heavy seafloor production tools. (Photo: Nautilus Minerals)

A Canadian mining company has been approved to start extracting ores of copper, gold and other valuable metals on the Pacific sea floor.

Fishing boats on the water at the Chatham Island, source of pic: Herald on Sunday

Source: THe New Zealand Herald 

Opponents to seabed mining are preparing for their second battle this year, with the lodging of a marine consent application for a phosphate nodule mining project on the Chatham Rise off the Canterbury coast.