It wasn’t all prevarication and pro-crastination at last week’s annual general meeting of London’s third biggest miner, Anglo American.

In response to several law suits and increasing trade union and civil society pressure (as well as press coverage) it announced that it would “assist” former miners who were dying of silicosis caused by their operations. See: Glimmer of justice for sick gold miners

Not that Anglo would admit to any liability – preferring instead to offer funding for existing claimants’ health care “so [that] independent health checks establish that they are suffering from silicosis or silico-tuberculosis”.

The well-organised, liberally-funded, opponents to Anglo American’s planned Pebble mine in Alaska also had their say – without securing any concessions from the company.

And, once again this year, questions were raised over allegations of continuing human rights abuses at the huge Cerrejon coal operations in Colombia.