Barrick Gold named a corporate social responsibility board on Friday,
which will advise the world's top gold producer on community relations,
sustainable development and human rights, as miners around the globe face
tougher public and investor scrutiny of their activities.
Toronto-based Barrick was hit by a torrent of criticism last year after
at least five people were killed and many more were hurt, when hundreds of
people raided a gold mine in Tanzania owned by its subsidiary African Barrick
Gold.
Some of Barrick's peers have faced similar issues at their mines, while
others have encountered strong opposition to their projects.
There have been scores of shootings by unidentified snipers around
Freeport McMoRan's huge Grasberg copper-gold mine in Indonesia in recent years,
with victims including workers, illegal miners and security officers.
Construction work at Newmont's US$4.8 billion Conga gold-copper project
in Peru has been halted since November, following weeks of protests against the
development.
The Peruvian government has asked three foreign experts to evaluate
Newmont's environmental impact study for Conga, which would be the largest
mining investment in Peru's history if it is built.
Barrick said the five-member board will also advise it on the
structuring of both its ongoing and future corporate social responsibility
(CSR) practices and programs.
The board is comprised of notable experts in the CSR field, including
Elizabeth Dowdeswell, the former head of the United Nations Environment
Program, and Robert Fowler, who was Canada's longest serving ambassador to the
United Nations.
"Their input and guidance will help us to further improve our
practices and manage emerging issues affecting our company and the global mining
industry," Barrick Chief Executive Aaron Regent said in a statement.
Source: Reuters,af.reuters.com, reported by Euan Rocha in Toronto
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