China update
Published by MAC on 2007-04-20
China update
20th April 2007
A new report estimates that 135 million tonnes of standard coal could be saved each year, were existing buildings in China renovated or new ones designed to meet a 50-percent energy savings target.
The Zijin Mining corporation is rapidly rivaling the China Nonferrous Metals Group Co. Ltd. (CNMC) as the most controversial domestic mining company investing overseas.
Zijin has now taken control of Monterrico Metals (the much-criticised UK outfit active in Peru); is participating in a nickel project in Burma; and has purchased a 30% stake in another British miner, active in South Africa.
Now, Hunan Nonferrous, plans to add a tungsten project to its current nonferrous metals' exploits in Australian and Pakistan. And yet again, its intended partner is based in the UK.
Recent data shows that, in a bare eight years, British companies increased the amount of waste (including toxic metallic e-wastes) dumped in China, from just 12,000 tonnes in 1997 to nearly 2 million tonnes in 2005.