In many countries rich in minerals, mining deals between industry and government have failed to deliver the benefits citizens expect—not only because of bad contracts but also because governments and civil society fail to effectively monitor and enforce company compliance with the terms of good c

After Petrobras, Brazil's state-controlled oil company, found giant oil and gas fields in the Pre-sal depths of the South Atlantic, Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva called the discoveries "a winning lottery ticket." Seven of the ten largest oil fields discovered since 2001 are in Bra

By Adelia Saunders

The rules that govern oil, gas and mining on American Indian tribal lands are complex, and the tribes that seek economic development through natural resources face a range of challenges.

When companies sell their oil and gas assets before production has even begun, they may turn a profit long before the host country can collect the tax revenues typically associated with production.

The global economic downturn and the subsequent drop in commodity prices hit resource rich countries especially hard. In some countries, the shock has caused lasting harm, while for others diversification and prudent policies seem to have lessened the negative impacts.