Photo project - The Midas Touch by alex felipe

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randomcameraguy / © alex felipe Project : The Midas Touch

The Midas touch is often a colloquialism used positively, as in 'wow he's so lucky, everything he touches turns to gold!' However a quick look back at the original Greek myth reminds us that Midas' power was no boon, but a curse.

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This colour set will take you to two Australian owned large-scale mining sites in the Philippines: Didipio in Luzon, run by OceanaGold and Rapu-Rapu Island, run by Lafayette.

[*note: I also visited two Canadian sites: Marinduque (PlacerDome/Barrick Gold), the site of THREE of the worlds worst mining disasters; Mt. Canatuan (TVI Pacific), site of multiple human rights infractions. I may show these images at a later date.]

The Philippines is ranked second to South Africa in production (per unit of land area). Gold is found throughout the islands and mining is one of the centre pieces of the government’s economic strategy--that's part of what makes this so tragic for me as I don't see any of that wealth reaching the common people.

The Philippine Mining Act (RA 7942) allows:
- 100% foreign ownership.
- Renewable 5 year tax holidays (after which they pay 2%).
- Tax and duty-free importation of capital equipment and spare parts.
- Tax credits and exemption from the Value Added Tax.
- 100% repatriation of profits, investments, remittance of loans and obligations, and freedom from expropriation.

There are three main financial centres for global mining multinationals. They are:
- London, England
- Toronto, Canada
- Melbourne, Australia

* * *

On a positive note there is a drive to create a kind of international branding for gold. There is a major initiative called ARM (Association for Responsible Mining) that is developing standards and verification systems to certify gold from small scale producers so it can be marketed like fair trade coffee. And there are also a number of organizations that are working on something called the Green Gold campaign.

Links:

The Association for Responsible Mining: http://www.communitymining.org/
MiningWatch: www.miningwatch.ca
Oxfam-Australia: www.oxfam.org.au/campaigns/mining/

12 photos 1 draft - completed on 29/11/2008 -

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Community Resistance © alex felipe randomcameraguy
01/03/2008 1 comm. photo
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Community Resistance
© alex felipe randomcameraguy

01/03/2008 1 comm. photo

What Makes a Home? © alex felipe randomcameraguy
02/03/2008 5 comm. photo
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What Makes a Home?
© alex felipe randomcameraguy

02/03/2008 5 comm. photo

Broken Homes © alex felipe randomcameraguy
03/03/2008 2 comm. photo
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Broken Homes
© alex felipe randomcameraguy

03/03/2008 2 comm. photo

Problem is Not Solb © alex felipe randomcameraguy
05/03/2008 2 comm. photo
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Problem is Not Solb
© alex felipe randomcameraguy

05/03/2008 2 comm. photo

Sea Fighter © alex felipe randomcameraguy
07/03/2008 1 comm. photo
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Sea Fighter
© alex felipe randomcameraguy

07/03/2008 1 comm. photo

In the Pit © alex felipe randomcameraguy
08/03/2008 7 comm. photo
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In the Pit
© alex felipe randomcameraguy

08/03/2008 7 comm. photo

Acid Mine Drainage © alex felipe randomcameraguy
11/03/2008 5 comm. photo
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Acid Mine Drainage
© alex felipe randomcameraguy

11/03/2008 5 comm. photo

Another Day Without Fishing © alex felipe randomcameraguy
12/03/2008 4 comm. photo
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Another Day Without Fishing
© alex felipe randomcameraguy

12/03/2008 4 comm. photo

Divided Loyalties © alex felipe randomcameraguy
23/03/2008 4 comm. photo
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23/03/2008 4 comm. photo

Empty Nets © alex felipe randomcameraguy
24/03/2008 6 comm. photo
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24/03/2008 6 comm. photo

Food Danger © alex felipe randomcameraguy
26/03/2008 5 comm. photo
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26/03/2008 5 comm. photo

Priorities © alex felipe randomcameraguy
27/03/2008 2 comm. photo
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27/03/2008 2 comm. photo

Another Day Without Fishing II © alex felipe randomcameraguy
13/03/2008 6 comm. photo
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13/03/2008 6 comm. photo