Controversial copper mining deal terminated

– When one of the world’s largest copper processors acknowledges that the Nussir mining project is not compatible with their social corporate responsibility, they send a very strong signal. Aurubis does not want to be associated with pollution of the fjords and Indigenous peoples’ rights vioaltions, Silje Karine Muotka states, who is NSR’s presidential candidate to the elections of the Sámi Parliament in Norway.

Read the Aurubis press release here.

This is a clear signal to both the mining industry and the Norwegian authorities.

– We are very pleased that we have been listened to, and we believe this is a clear signal to both the mining industry and the Norwegian authorities.

The Sámi Parliament has written a letter to the company and Muotka, as a Sami Parliament councilor, has conducted a digital meeting with Aurubis and informed them about the circumstances in the case, in which the reindeer herders in the district risk being pushed out of their livelihood, in violation of Indigenous Peoples’ rights.

The Norwegian Saami Association (NSR) has also sendt brev til Aurubis with the information about the consequences of the Nussir copper mine for Sami interests on 14 August 2020, in which they were encouraged to terminate the contract.

Mining projects that violate Indigenous Peoples’ rights should not be allowed to start.

– We are happy to be listened to, and we believe this is a clear signal to both the mining industry and the Norwegian authorities. Mining projects that violate Indigenous Peoples’ rights should not be allowed to start. Right now there are elections for both the Sámi Parliament and the National Parliament in Norway. And it is not yet too late to turn around the Nussir case, and we hope the next elected National Parliament in Norway will reconsider the case, says leader of NSR, Runar Myrnes Balto