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Article Writer: Dohason Fala
Article Date: December 10th
Koros Government Strikes Gold
After a grueling series of legal battles the federal government has seized the Dakota Gold Field. Located in the Lower Plains and capable of producing approximately 80 tonnes per year, the mine has remained unused since 2006. Shortly after federation foreign companies, especially those tied to natural resources, ignored government offers to purchase and takeover operations. These offers of compensation were intensified to threats of legal action in 2006, the government furious at the continued disregard companies showed to Korosian laws. It’s estimated that 240 tonnes of gold was illegally removed from Koros in just 3 years, sold to private buyers and rival governments.
The quality and quantity of the gold - though technically frozen since it’s closure - noticeably diminished in both categories because of the activity. Records detailing it’s changes before federation took place are unfortunately scarce.
The Federal Government finally stands ready to mine the Dakota Gold Field following a decision made by the Korosian Supreme Court. Though the mine had been forced to cease production, the government did not stop it’s legal case against the corporation in question. Lawyer Kitchi Mukki, representing the Government, explained: “Koros was established to be the federation of the first peoples, joined by the honorable newcomers. Because of this the Gold Field is rightfully the governments; before colonization it was operated by the first peoples. If this government is genuinely basing it’s mandate off the first peoples, then the Gold Field should be taken from free capital.”
Despite the ruling meaning Korosian gold mining will enrich Koros, domestic pushback has been oddly vocal. Political cartoons have been quick to draw comparisons between ecological policies clashing with the concept of resource mining. One cartoon showed Tahki Odina attempting to plant trees; by throwing handfuls of seeds into an unfathomably deep pit, alluding to the Gold Field by placing a shovel with gold nuggets at it’s edge. There is a sense of collective unease from the people KNBA has interviewed for this story; Koros has made strides limiting the mining industry, permanently closing it’s last coal power plant in 2007. Many are worried by a potential resurgence of international pressure to deregulate “dirty” mining.
“First it’s gold, then it’s black gold, then it’s anything buried beneath Korosian soils.” claimed IT Manager Sokw Briannah, referring to oil, and rare Pacifica metals. "It’s a basic fact that malfunctional democracies have an overabundance of natural resources. When the wealth of a nation is tied to the earth, and not to the people, the nation will suffer. Our government hasn’t sold it’s soul, or anything like that. But I do worry about how things are going. It would be so heartbreakingly easy for them to mine until the waters are all polluted and there are caverns everywhere.
Included in Kitchi Mukki’s report was guarantees of tonnes of gold being allocated towards the KSA and certain state R&D companies. State computer manufacturers were allocated less, though enough to maintain an avoidance of materials. Independent buyers and companies will be forced to conduct the sale of gold through the Korosian Dollar before acquisition; however they may use the gold in most matters afterwards.
One specific complaint that has surfaced from perceptive economists: if the Government began allowing private enterprise in September, why was the Gold Field still seized? Though the government had mentioned gold’s use in technology as one of the reasons it seized the field, many have pointed out that the gold could have been distributed in a more efficient method for this purpose. Another reason - avoiding gold being moved out of Koros - has been critiqued by pointing out that end result could have been achieved without a government gold monopoly. Indeed, the acquisition lays the groundwork for the government to seize other out of use mines across the country. If they do, the KNBA guarantees to cover it.