Lisheen

This article is part of the Mining and Metals project of Spinwatch

The Lisheen Mine is a zinc and lead mine in County Tipperary, Ireland, which employs 370 workers, 70 per cent of whom are from the nearby community. In February 2011 the Lisheen Mine was bought by Vedanta Resources plc as part of its purchase of Anglo American plc's Zinc assets. There has been significant local opposition to Vedanta's acquisition.

History

Deposits of zinc and lead were discovered in the area of Lisheen In 1990 by Ivernia West and CMCI. Minorco SA acquired CMCI's share of Lisheen in 1994. Construction of the mine began in 1999. In May 1999 the Anglo American Corporation merged with Minorco to form Anglo American plc, and by October of that year production of zinc and lead had begun at Lisheen. Anglo American bought Ivernia West's share in 2003, making it the full owner of the mine. In 2011 Vedanta Resources acquired Anglo American's entire Zinc portfolio (Anglo American Zinc) for €1.34bn - a package which included the €242m Lisheen Mine. Vedanta's purchase is subject to a 12-month regulatory approval.

Vedanta Ownership Controversy

The sale of the Lisheen Mines to Vedanta has been condemned by local residents and mine workers. Aware of Vedanta's notorious human rights and environmental reputation in India and abroad, local community leaders have called for Vedanta's purchase to be rejected. Concerns have centred around job security; a deterioration of health and safety practices at the mine; environmental standards amongst Lisheen's fragile ecology and agriculture-based economy; and whether the scheduled closure of the mine in 2014, necessary in order to protect the fragile local environment, will be carried out in a sustainable way, followed by perpetual-aftercare costs. Such aftercare costs had not been secured with Anglo American, despite generally positive relations between the community and corporation, and concerns are high regarding Vedanta's future motivations for Lisheen. Anil Agarwal, Chairman of Vedanta Resources, has spoken of his interest in "debottlenecking" obstacles from making the Anglo American Zinc assets more efficient and cost-effective.

Lisheen miners have stated:

"We would like it confirmed that our new owners have plans to protect the local environment, the life of this mine is finite and the plan is to continue mining here at Lisheen only until 2013, before we begin closure. Lisheen is presently one of Ireland’s most eco-sensitive mining sites"

Tim Bergin, leader of the local community organisation Moyne Templetuohy Parish Forum, stated:

"We are most disappointed that Anglo American are selling us out to a company with such a poor reputation in their own country and internationally. We have contacted all our public representatives regarding this and are hopeful that the Government will reject the sale of Lisheen Mine to any company that may put the lives of our people or the environment in danger."

MEP Alan Kelly (Labour) has stated:

"[Vedanta has a] questionable track record when it came [sic] to worker and environmental treatment and if the mine were not run properly, it could prove disastrous for the area.”

Local councillor John Hogan (Moyne) stated:

"I wrote to the C.E.O. of Anglo American, Ms. Cynthia Carroll, expressing the communities concerns over the terrible reputation that Vedanta Resources have in India. Amnesty International has written an in depth report on  human rights and serious environment violations carried out by Vedanta Resources. The company also had the Tuticorin Smelter in India closed by the Indian courts.  According to the Indian Judges Vedanta Resources violated the company’s operation permissions from the [Tamil Nadu] Pollution Control Board. In their verdict, Judges said the smelter was emitting noxious air pollution, that the plant’s effluents were hazardous and caused high levels of heavy metals, arsenic and fluorides in the groundwater and that the entire plant site was now “severely polluted”.


Another example of our fears in June 2009 a prestigious World Environmental award the “Golden Peacock” was withdrawn at the last minute after demonstrators protested about the company’s highly polluting alumina refinery on the land of [Kondh tribes in Orissa, India]. Government pollution inspectors have commented on the ‘alarming’ and ‘continuous’ seepage of toxic waste from the refinery.  Kondh people living near the refinery have told Survival International that they have suffered skin problems after bathing in polluted water, that their crops are choked by dust from the refinery and that cattle have died after drinking from polluted streams.

So far I have received a reply from Mr. Hennie Faul, Chief Executive Officer Zinc with Anglo American.  Mr. Faul chose not to answer any of the allegations in connection with Vedanta Resources and instead stated that the costs associated with the Mine closure and rehabilitation plan, as well as the perpetual aftercare of Lisheen Mine are fully secured.  This reply from Anglo American has added to the community fears, firstly because they sold us out to a company with issues that Anglo American are not willing to comment on.  Also Anglo American are disingenuous in claiming that perpetual aftercare costs of Lisheen are secure when as a stake holder our community has not even entered discussions on the perpetual aftercare.”

Contact

Email: Info@lisheenmine.ie

Telephone: +353 (0)504 45600 Fax: +353 (0)504 45700

Postal Address: Killoran, Moyne, Thurles, Co.Tipperary, Ireland

Resources

Lisheen Mine homepage