Baffin island in Canada’s north, site of many diamond discoveries The question for many concerned about the ethics of the Canadian diamond is, “How much impact this this region can withstand without massively upsetting its fragile eco-system?” The Northwest Territories are one of the last pristine environments left on earth. The first article linked below

click image to enlarge Bajo La Alumbrera Mine in Catamarca Province, Artgentina. Quoting directly from this article published in Mine Watch, “Catamarca is a beautiful desert province of northwest Argentina, with mountain ranges, deserts, and verdant oasis valleys. Runoff from snow-capped peaks and underground aquifers once supplied small-farmers throughout the region with pure mineral waters

Introduction Community and Small Scale Mining (CASM) is one of the most important initiatives in support of artisanal, small scale mining as a viable development initiative. CASM is sponsoring a conference in Brazil. ~ Marc Choyt, Editor