Conflict Minerals, Conflict Mines and Critical Minerals for War: Mining, Human Rights and Canadian Foreign Policy

This chapter re-assesses the terms “conflict minerals” and “critical minerals” by examining the role of Canadian mining operations overseas in generating armed conflicts at and around these mines and the role of the products of mining in fueling inter-state wars. It argues that Canadian mines that violate the human rights of local communities, Indigenous peoples and human rights defenders should be recognized as “conflict mines,” while minerals on Canada’s “critical minerals list” that are used for military purposes, and those that fund international wars, should be labeled “conflict minerals.” The chapter contextualizes these positions by providing case studies from Guatemala, Peru, Tanzania and Papua New Guinea where alleged human rights abuses, including gender-based violence, killing and maiming are associated with mining projects’ armed security arrangements. The chapter also discusses the alleged role of gold mined by Canadian companies in funding Russia’s war in Ukraine and the proposed role of deep seabed minerals to replenish military stockpiles. Given the role Canadian mining projects play in causing localized armed conflict and associated human rights abuses, this chapter discusses the Government of Canada’s failure to enact strong corporate accountability legislation and to protect the human rights of those affected by the operations of Canadian mining companies.