Mining capitalism: the relationship between corporations and their critics

329 Pages·2014·4.502 MB·English

by  Ok Tedi Mining.;Kirsch, Stuart

Mining Capitalism
The Relationship between Corporations
and Their Critics
Stuart Kirsch
university of california press
Mining Capitalism
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Mining Capitalism
The Relationship between Corporations
and Their Critics
Stuart Kirsch
university of california press
University of California Press, one of the most
distinguished university presses in the United States,
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in the humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences.
Its activities are supported by the UC Press Foundation
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institutions. For more information, visit www.ucpress.edu.
University of California Press
Oakland, California
© 2014 by The Regents of the University of California
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Kirsch, Stuart.
 Mining capitalism : the relationship between
corporations and their critics / Stuart Kirsch.
pages cm
Includes bibliographical references and index.
isbn 978-0-520-28170-7 (cloth : alk. paper) —
isbn 978-0-520-28171-4 (pbk. : alk. paper) —
isbn 978-0-520-95759-6 (e-book)
1. Mineral industries—Environmental aspects—
Papua New Guinea. 2. Mineral industries—Political
aspects—Papua New Guinea. Copper mines and
mining—Papua New Guinea—Ok Tedi Region.
4. Gold mines and mining—Papua New Guinea—
Ok Tedi Region. 5. Ok Tedi Mining. I. Title.
hd9506.p262k57 2014
338.209953—dc23
2013040294
Manufactured in the United States of America
23 22 21 20 19 18 17 16 15 14
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
In keeping with a commitment to support
environmentally responsible and sustainable printing
practices, UC Press has printed this book on Natures
Natural, a fi ber that contains 30% post-consumer waste
and meets the minimum requirements of ansi/niso
z39.48-1992 (r 1997) (Permanence of Paper).
To Rex Dagi and Alex Maun, ne angotmi bot-korokman,
in recognition of their sacrifi ces and achievements.
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Contents
List of Illustrations ix
Acknowledgments xi
Introduction 1
1. Colliding Ecologies 15
2. The Politics of Space 53
3. Down by Law 84
4. Corporate Science 127
5. Industry Strikes Back 159
6. New Politics of Time 188
Conclusion 224
Epilogue 235
Appendix: Timeline 239
Notes 245
References 261
Index 289
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Illustrations
Maps
1. The Fly River from the Star Mountains to the Gulf of Papua,
Papua New Guinea. / 17
2. Major mining projects in West Papua (Indonesia), Papua New
Guinea, and the Solomon Islands. / 43
3. Key referenda on mining and development in Latin America. / 217
Figures
1. The Ok Tedi mine, 2004. / 21
2. Water from the Ok Mart River enters the polluted Ok Tedi
River, 1987. / 25
3. Children playing in tailings deposit along the lower Ok Tedi
River, 2008. / 29
4. Ok Tedi Mining Ltd. public relations poster, ca. 1988. / 30
5. Ghost forest on the lower Ok Tedi River, 1996. / 38
6. Yonggom activist Rex Dagi, 1996. / 59
7. Yonggom activist Alex Maun, 1995. / 60
8. “It’s Chirac . . .” Sydney Morning Herald editorial cartoon,
1995. / 91
9. Signing the 1996 settlement agreement in Kiunga. / 105
ix