Toronto-based Conic Metals specializes in securing minerals for electric vehicles, but has failed to address allegations of serious environmental harm from one of its principal assets: the Ramu mine in Papua New Guinea, which dumps millions of tonnes of toxic mine waste into the ocean each year. The company’s behavior, unwillingness to engage with the mounting evidence, and unresponsiveness to concerns raised by stakeholders, renders its environmental and social commitments meaningless.
The Ramu nickel and cobalt mine is decimating a coral-reef biological hotspot and putting at risk the livelihoods of thousands of fishermen who depend on the Basamuk Bay for their food. In August 2019, the Ramu mine tailings storage container overflowed, turning waters of the Basamuk Bay red, providing a small glimpse of the toxic sludge being pumped into the ocean day in and day out. This is unacceptable, particularly given the increasing scrutiny and pressure to address the health, environmental, economic, and social impacts along the supply chains of lithium-ion batteries, electric vehicles and other low-carbon technologies.