OPEN LETTER: Ivanhoe Mines and Ivanplats Challenge Globe & Mail Story About Platreef Mine Development Project in South Africa
Attention: Paul Waldie, Editor, Report on Business, The Globe and Mail, Toronto, Canada, and Geoffrey York, Africa correspondent, The Globe and Mail
(firmenpresse) - MOKOPANE, SOUTH AFRICA -- (Marketwired) -- 01/12/15 -- The following is an open letter from Ivanhoe Mines and its subsidiary, Ivanplats, to the Globe and Mail in response to an article published January 10th about the Platreef Mine Development Project in South Africa.
The cover story published in The Globe and Mail's Report on Business on January 10 (Showdown in South Africa) is flawed by serious failures of what is purported to be standards-based journalism.
The story is blighted by false allegations and misrepresentations, and gratuitous exaggerations. One inevitable result is that parts of the story serve as a soapbox for a coterie of dedicated critics, some of whose self-serving motivations curiously are ignored. But, despite its 3,000-word length, the story fails to present the view of even one ordinary citizen from among the tens of thousands who comprise the overwhelming majority in the neighbouring communities who do support the development of the Platreef mining project by Ivanplats (Pty) Ltd., a subsidiary of Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. That would have required diligence and determination. It begs the pertinent question: Why?
The current economic potential of Ivanhoe's Platreef world-scale mineral discoveries, and the innovative comprehensiveness of the project's broad-based black economic empowerment structure, are without peer in South Africa. One essential feature is that the combined population of approximately 150,000 people in the communities surrounding the planned mine development now effectively share a 20% ownership of the Platreef Project through a collective trust. Obviously, such a project in such a setting will have its detractors; that's a fact of human nature that Ivanhoe Mines and Ivanplats respect. But The Globe's beginning-to-end exclusion of views representative of the majority of ordinary residents certainly is not balanced writing, which The Globe claims to hold among its vaunted news principles. The lack of balanced views inevitably gives readers an unfair misrepresentation of the project's true level of community support.
Among the story's significant shortcomings:
Contrary to The Globe's unfair, contrived misrepresentations on the point, Ivanplats never has sought to provoke confrontations with critics and authorities. The company is a guest in South Africa, where it is honouring long-term commitments that have been established during the past 15 years. The company knows it must continually earn goodwill and has been able to achieve a great deal of appreciated, respectful support and cooperation through its extensive consultations with neighbouring communities. This engagement is a perpetual responsibility that will continue throughout the life of the planned Platreef Project. However, Ivanplats also has declared that the project will not be held to ransom by those who advocate violence, intimidation, disruption and disinformation, and will remain uncompromised by corruption.
Ivanplats previously advised The Globe that the company would stand with the facts in any telling of Platreef stories. While only a limited time has been available to check allegations contained in The Globe story, Ivanhoe Mines and Ivanplats are concerned by the misrepresentations that already have been identified. The checking of information is continuing and the companies will take the necessary steps to ensure that the truth is appropriately presented. The principal information exchanges between The Globe and Ivanplats prior to publication of the story will be made available on the Ivanhoe Mines website ().
Contacts:
Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. - Investors
Bill Trenaman
+1.604.331.9834
Ivanhoe Mines Ltd. - Media
North America:
Bob Williamson
+1.604.512.4856
South Africa:
Jeremy Michaels
+27.11.088.4300
Website
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Datum: 12.01.2015 - 14:27 Uhr
Sprache: Deutsch
News-ID 363717
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MOKOPANE, SOUTH AFRICA
Kategorie:
Mining & Metals
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"OPEN LETTER: Ivanhoe Mines and Ivanplats Challenge Globe & Mail Story About Platreef Mine Development Project in South Africa"
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