Cat Rainsford
@cat-rainsford.bsky.social
Transition minerals investigator for Global Witness | Formerly InSight Crime | Views my own.
Covers crime, corruption and environment, focus on LatAm and West Africa.
Covers crime, corruption and environment, focus on LatAm and West Africa.
Reposted by Cat Rainsford
Also just out - on raw materials (MF = material footprint): www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
March 28, 2025 at 10:17 AM
Also just out - on raw materials (MF = material footprint): www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...
I missed this last week but sharing now because dodgy commodity traders registered in Switzerland are the bane of my investigative life. Nice to hear that "the Swiss Finance Minister thanked the commodity traders for the additional tax revenues from 2022 and 2023" www.publiceye.ch/en/media-cor...
Parliament continues laissez-faire towards Switzerland’s commodit...
Three years into Russia’s bloody war of aggression against Ukraine, Switzerland is definitely refusing to leverage its economic policy and live up to its responsibility as one of the largest...
www.publiceye.ch
March 27, 2025 at 3:23 PM
I missed this last week but sharing now because dodgy commodity traders registered in Switzerland are the bane of my investigative life. Nice to hear that "the Swiss Finance Minister thanked the commodity traders for the additional tax revenues from 2022 and 2023" www.publiceye.ch/en/media-cor...
The DRC has been pillaged for its resources for over a century. It's interesting to see it realise its power in the supply chain - and a lesson for consuming countries that the interests of producing countries cannot be ignored www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/int...
Cobalt prices spike as Congo export halt rattles supply chain
Cobalt prices are soaring as a surprise export ban from the world’s largest producing country fuels mounting uncertainty along the supply chain.
www.bnnbloomberg.ca
March 13, 2025 at 10:47 AM
The DRC has been pillaged for its resources for over a century. It's interesting to see it realise its power in the supply chain - and a lesson for consuming countries that the interests of producing countries cannot be ignored www.bnnbloomberg.ca/business/int...
"TechMet’s investment partner in the Dobra lithium project is Ronald Lauder, a billionaire friend of President Trump. Lauder has also been a big advocate of US efforts to buy Greenland."
www.ft.com/content/bc0c...
www.ft.com/content/bc0c...
US-backed miner TechMet seeks to develop Ukraine lithium site
Dobra project could be one of first built under minerals deal between Washington and Kyiv
www.ft.com
March 11, 2025 at 12:51 PM
"TechMet’s investment partner in the Dobra lithium project is Ronald Lauder, a billionaire friend of President Trump. Lauder has also been a big advocate of US efforts to buy Greenland."
www.ft.com/content/bc0c...
www.ft.com/content/bc0c...
Reposted by Cat Rainsford
There's no utopia hiding in the cruelty. No transformative change in the preening belligerence. There's nothing in the centre to find except for exterminatory desire to be the only person in the room, country, world who gets to decide what's important. He's like the apotheosis of bad self help
March 1, 2025 at 8:53 AM
There's no utopia hiding in the cruelty. No transformative change in the preening belligerence. There's nothing in the centre to find except for exterminatory desire to be the only person in the room, country, world who gets to decide what's important. He's like the apotheosis of bad self help
Seems DR Congo is taking lessons from Ukraine - if you want military support from Trump's US, you better have some minerals to offer... www.africa-confidential.com/article/id/1...
Tshisekedi inks lobbying deal to bag minerals deal with Trump
Kinshasa enlists Washington advisors to gain US support for military and diplomatic engagement as M23 escalates war in eastern Congo
www.africa-confidential.com
February 26, 2025 at 2:32 PM
Seems DR Congo is taking lessons from Ukraine - if you want military support from Trump's US, you better have some minerals to offer... www.africa-confidential.com/article/id/1...
Pretty crazy mapping of the international expansion of Russia's state nuclear corporation during the Ukraine war - still largely escaping Western sanctions dixigroup.org/en/over-70-a...
Over 70 Agreements During the Full-Scale War: How Rosatom Expands Beyond Sanctions | DiXi Group
On home
dixigroup.org
February 25, 2025 at 8:44 PM
Pretty crazy mapping of the international expansion of Russia's state nuclear corporation during the Ukraine war - still largely escaping Western sanctions dixigroup.org/en/over-70-a...
While Trump blusters, bullies and brags about "deals" on Ukraine's minerals, Russia moves to create its own facts on the ground www.reuters.com/markets/comm...
Russian forces advance on Ukraine's critical minerals as Trump talks of a deal
Russia, like U.S. President Donald Trump, covets Ukraine's natural resources - and on the ground its forces are closing in on a giant lithium deposit.
www.reuters.com
February 19, 2025 at 10:20 PM
While Trump blusters, bullies and brags about "deals" on Ukraine's minerals, Russia moves to create its own facts on the ground www.reuters.com/markets/comm...
The EU's Conflict Minerals Regulation imposes due diligence on EU companies sourcing 3TG minerals from conflict-affected regions. But GW's analysis found tungsten ore entering Europe from conflict-wracked South Kivu in the DRC, where brutal militias profit from the trade tinyurl.com/mvze23c2
Halt illegal imports of conflict minerals from DRC, campaigners urge EU
Law to stop armed groups profiting from trade in gold, tin, tungsten and tantalum is being breached, rights groups say
tinyurl.com
January 15, 2025 at 5:48 PM
The EU's Conflict Minerals Regulation imposes due diligence on EU companies sourcing 3TG minerals from conflict-affected regions. But GW's analysis found tungsten ore entering Europe from conflict-wracked South Kivu in the DRC, where brutal militias profit from the trade tinyurl.com/mvze23c2
Congolese government files criminal complaint against Apple for conflict minerals in its supply chain, saying Apple is hiding behind "discredited" ITSCI certification scheme www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
Exclusive: Congo files criminal complaints against Apple in Europe over conflict minerals
The Democratic Republic of Congo has filed criminal complaints against Apple subsidiaries in France and Belgium, accusing the tech firm of using conflict minerals in its supply chain, lawyers for the Congolese government told Reuters.
www.reuters.com
December 18, 2024 at 10:03 AM
Congolese government files criminal complaint against Apple for conflict minerals in its supply chain, saying Apple is hiding behind "discredited" ITSCI certification scheme www.reuters.com/sustainabili...
"Afriland bank's DR Congo subsidiary, which is under provisional administration by the country's central bank and is in arbitration proceedings, may have one final use. The government may use it in a risky financial deal that would benefit Israeli tycoon Dan Gertler." shorturl.at/TwKnU
DRC : Kinshasa strikes risky deal with Dan Gertler via Afriland bank
Afriland bank's DR Congo subsidiary, which is under provisional administration by the country's central bank and is in arbitration proceedings, may have one final use. The government may use it in a
www.africaintelligence.com
December 16, 2024 at 10:55 AM
"Afriland bank's DR Congo subsidiary, which is under provisional administration by the country's central bank and is in arbitration proceedings, may have one final use. The government may use it in a risky financial deal that would benefit Israeli tycoon Dan Gertler." shorturl.at/TwKnU
Guatemalan mining ministry renewed export permits for formerly-sanctioned nickel mines CGN and Mayaniquel, but Mayaniquel still hasn't dropped its arbitration claim www.prensalibre.com/economia/mem...
MEM otorgó las credenciales de exportación para las mineras Mayaniquel y CGN, pero proceso de arbitraje de la primera compañía se mantiene
El Ministerio de Energía y Minas (MEM) otorgó las credenciales de exportación para la minera Mayaniquel, y en el caso de CGN la emitió para el campo Niquegua Montufar, mientras que para el proyecto…
www.prensalibre.com
December 13, 2024 at 2:53 PM
Guatemalan mining ministry renewed export permits for formerly-sanctioned nickel mines CGN and Mayaniquel, but Mayaniquel still hasn't dropped its arbitration claim www.prensalibre.com/economia/mem...
It's not often we hear the story of the energy transition told by mining-affected communities themselves. "Habla Pacha" is a 9-part podcast series, designed and told by the Indigenous communities of Salinas Grandes, Argentina - one of the world's lithium frontlines www.youtube.com/@HablaPacha
Habla Pacha
Nuestro paisaje, como nuestra cultura andina, tienen miles de años. Durante muchas décadas hemos vivido entre silencios, pero al ver amenazado nuestro paisaje hemos decidido contar lo que está pasando...
www.youtube.com
December 9, 2024 at 12:09 PM
It's not often we hear the story of the energy transition told by mining-affected communities themselves. "Habla Pacha" is a 9-part podcast series, designed and told by the Indigenous communities of Salinas Grandes, Argentina - one of the world's lithium frontlines www.youtube.com/@HablaPacha
Reposted by Cat Rainsford
Fascinating to read @louisguitton.bsky.social's work applying a range of AI techniques to @icij.org's Offshore Leaks database to create knowledge graphs and generate new leads for journalists to investigate guitton.co/posts/entity... cc @pirhoo.com @karriekehoe.bsky.social @pacoid.bsky.social
Panama Papers Investigation using Entity Resolution and Entity Linking
This article demonstrates how developers or investigative journalists can use Senzing entity resolution (ER) to work with unstructured documents. In particular, given that ER has been used with struct...
guitton.co
December 6, 2024 at 12:11 PM
Fascinating to read @louisguitton.bsky.social's work applying a range of AI techniques to @icij.org's Offshore Leaks database to create knowledge graphs and generate new leads for journalists to investigate guitton.co/posts/entity... cc @pirhoo.com @karriekehoe.bsky.social @pacoid.bsky.social
Cash-strapped Liberian gov't looks to settle arbitration claim from one mining company by granting exclusive rail rights to another mining company... www.liberianobserver.com/news/liberia...
Liberia’s Crossroads: Multiuser Rail Access or AML Monopoly?
— AML’s offer to settle SIG’s US$50M arbitration claim equals less than 3% of the projected revenue from multiuser rail access.
www.liberianobserver.com
December 6, 2024 at 4:47 PM
Cash-strapped Liberian gov't looks to settle arbitration claim from one mining company by granting exclusive rail rights to another mining company... www.liberianobserver.com/news/liberia...
A fifth of the Philippines' land mass is now covered by mining and exploration permits, eating into Indigenous lands and causing damage visible from space. New investigation on the Philippines' militarised "green" mineral push by my colleague @hanna-hindstrom.bsky.social shorturl.at/OPNxs
How mining threatens Indigenous defenders in the Philippines | Global Witness
With skyrocketing global demand for critical minerals – vital to the green energy transition – Indigenous groups and biodiversity are at risk in the Philippines
shorturl.at
December 3, 2024 at 6:59 PM
A fifth of the Philippines' land mass is now covered by mining and exploration permits, eating into Indigenous lands and causing damage visible from space. New investigation on the Philippines' militarised "green" mineral push by my colleague @hanna-hindstrom.bsky.social shorturl.at/OPNxs
Reposted by Cat Rainsford
"En el juicio por genocidio contra el comandante militar retirado Benedicto Lucas García, la defensa ha intentado recusar al tribunal para retrasar la sentencia, inminente desde inicios de noviembre"
Seguimiento de mi colega Yuliana Ramazzini a nuestra cobertura del caso: elfaro.net/es/202411/ce...
Seguimiento de mi colega Yuliana Ramazzini a nuestra cobertura del caso: elfaro.net/es/202411/ce...
Estrategia de defensa y decisiones de fiscal general alejan a Guatemala de condena por genocidio
<p>En el juicio por genocidio contra el comandante militar retirado Benedicto Lucas García, la defensa ha intentado recusar al tribunal para retrasar la sentencia, inminente desde inicios de noviembre...
elfaro.net
November 26, 2024 at 2:18 AM
"En el juicio por genocidio contra el comandante militar retirado Benedicto Lucas García, la defensa ha intentado recusar al tribunal para retrasar la sentencia, inminente desde inicios de noviembre"
Seguimiento de mi colega Yuliana Ramazzini a nuestra cobertura del caso: elfaro.net/es/202411/ce...
Seguimiento de mi colega Yuliana Ramazzini a nuestra cobertura del caso: elfaro.net/es/202411/ce...
Reposted by Cat Rainsford
A little thread on some really good things that happened at #COP!
This year might have been poor on the overall climate aims, but there were some positive steps forward for managing the world’s energy transition minerals.
Here are 4 important announcements that were made at COP29
This year might have been poor on the overall climate aims, but there were some positive steps forward for managing the world’s energy transition minerals.
Here are 4 important announcements that were made at COP29
November 25, 2024 at 4:39 PM
A little thread on some really good things that happened at #COP!
This year might have been poor on the overall climate aims, but there were some positive steps forward for managing the world’s energy transition minerals.
Here are 4 important announcements that were made at COP29
This year might have been poor on the overall climate aims, but there were some positive steps forward for managing the world’s energy transition minerals.
Here are 4 important announcements that were made at COP29
Reposted by Cat Rainsford
1/ The UK’s fight against dirty money is at risk. Weak progress in the British Overseas Territories (OTs) threatens to undermine the Foreign Secretary’s anti-corruption campaign. Here’s my take: 🧵
transparency.org.uk/overseas-ter...
transparency.org.uk/overseas-ter...
Overseas Territories risk undermining the Foreign Secretary’s campaign to crack down on dirty money
Transparency International UK warns that the UK Government’s crackdown on dirty money risks being undermined by weak progress towards corporate transparency among the British Overseas
transparency.org.uk
November 25, 2024 at 2:30 PM
1/ The UK’s fight against dirty money is at risk. Weak progress in the British Overseas Territories (OTs) threatens to undermine the Foreign Secretary’s anti-corruption campaign. Here’s my take: 🧵
transparency.org.uk/overseas-ter...
transparency.org.uk/overseas-ter...
“Two strands of environmentalism are coming into conflict... Mining companies extract the nickel from New Caledonia’s soil by razing the forests that evolved on it; the engines of the so-called green transition could leave Earth’s most verdant corner in tatters.” tinyurl.com/3wbyepty
The Island Where Environmentalism Implodes
New Caledonia is home to thousands of species found nowhere else—and to nickel that companies like Tesla desperately need.
tinyurl.com
November 25, 2024 at 10:02 AM
“Two strands of environmentalism are coming into conflict... Mining companies extract the nickel from New Caledonia’s soil by razing the forests that evolved on it; the engines of the so-called green transition could leave Earth’s most verdant corner in tatters.” tinyurl.com/3wbyepty
Reposted by Cat Rainsford
UK Overseas Territories must implement beneficial ownership registers - either with public or legitimate interest access - by June 2025 or earlier, according to the communique from last week's joint ministerial council www.gov.uk/government/p...
UK and Overseas Territories Joint Ministerial Council 2024: communiqué
The Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary joined elected Leaders and Representatives of the UK Overseas Territories for the twelfth Joint Ministerial Council.
www.gov.uk
November 25, 2024 at 7:02 AM
UK Overseas Territories must implement beneficial ownership registers - either with public or legitimate interest access - by June 2025 or earlier, according to the communique from last week's joint ministerial council www.gov.uk/government/p...
Because it's Sunday, and this makes me happy. Mexico 🇲🇽💫❤️
The colourful designs of typical clothes in Mexico. More colours in the south.
November 24, 2024 at 4:11 PM
Because it's Sunday, and this makes me happy. Mexico 🇲🇽💫❤️
Reposted by Cat Rainsford
Wow. If you’re interested in Eurasia, energy geopolitics, corporate corruption, Putin palace intrigue, Kazakhstan, or just damn good writing & reporting, stop what you’re doing & read this. Tom Rowley has written the definitive piece on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.
www.icij.org/investigatio...
www.icij.org/investigatio...
Putin’s pipeline: How the Kremlin outmaneuvered Western oil companies to wrest control of vast flows of Kazakhstan’s crude - ICIJ
Chevron and partners prioritized profits, enabling runaway costs and ballooning budgets worth billions as Russia deployed strong-arm tactics and steered contracts to cronies.
www.icij.org
November 23, 2024 at 12:44 PM
Wow. If you’re interested in Eurasia, energy geopolitics, corporate corruption, Putin palace intrigue, Kazakhstan, or just damn good writing & reporting, stop what you’re doing & read this. Tom Rowley has written the definitive piece on the Caspian Pipeline Consortium.
www.icij.org/investigatio...
www.icij.org/investigatio...
