One has to keep in mind the following when reading articles dealing with substances that could be considered as dangerous to human health and the environment.

- Any mining or processing activities involving any material (not only chromite) would be dangerous and harful to the environment if poorly managed.

- Chromite ore is relatively inert compared to some other forms, so it is not correct to lump everything together when toxicity and effect on human is discussed.

- It's always the amount of the substance that we would need to worry about. One interesting example a blood thinner medication. Low dose is used as medication for human to prevent stroke, but high dose would be used as rat poison (and that would kill people too). Even pure water, if consumed in large amount over a short period of time, could cause severe health effect (e.g. swelling of the brain causing death).

- Note also that Mining Watch is an human right and environmental group. It would be fine to pay attention to human and environmental protection in all human activities (not only mining). But it does not mean that we would need to shut down all mining development just to keep Nature the way it is.

However, Mother Nature also has her own way of doing things (and we have no control over her). One severe geological event, e.g. a large earthquake or volcanic eruption would wipe out a large population. Not too long ago, on Boxing Day 2004, ~1/4 milion people were killed (more than 100,000 people were washed away from the Banda Aceh region alone), and a vast stretch of land over several countries was totalled, following a large tsunami in Indian Ocean.

Just some facts of life to consider.

goldhunter