A Critical Matter - German Investments in the Mining Sector

This paper is aimed at informing German civil society groups about the role of German financial institutions in supporting the acquisition of raw materials – primarily from overseas – and the social and environmental impacts of doing so.

It builds on information provided by the database and website “From Money to Metal”, jointly hosted by the Heinrich Böll Foundation and Mines and Communities. The paper identifies German bank loans and debt financing for mining companies; the related issuance of corporate and convertible bonds; and the direct purchase of equity (stocks and shares) in mining outfits by German banks, brokerages, and others. It points out the risks taken – financially, environmentally, and socially.