The widely-reported images of the Copiapó mine collapse in Chile are still vivid in people’s minds. Although not an EIB project, the Copiapó mine incident serves as a reminder of the social and environmental threats, including the infamous ‘resource curse’ that exist in countries not using their natural endowments wisely. It was in this context that on 6 October 2010, the EIB held a seminar on the developmental, environmental and social impacts of three EIB-financed mining projects.
