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A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining
A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining
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AP
An image of Pope Leo XIV
ROME: The head of
Latin America
's top development bank made a pitch to Pope
Leo XIV
this week in the face of the Vatican's call to divest from the mining industry: that the mistakes of the past can be avoided in extracting rare earth minerals to supply a global tech boom.
Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.
It's probably not an easy sell. The Vatican for years has taken a firm stand against multinational mining corporations, especially in Latin America and in favor of the Indigenous peoples, whose lands and livelihoods are often ravaged when mining projects come to town.
Al…
A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining - AP News
A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining - AP News
The President of the Inter-American Development Bank Ilan Goldfajn speaks to the Associated Press during an interview in Rome, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis)
ROME (AP) — The head of Latin America’s top development bank made a pitch to Pope Leo XIV this week in the face of the Vatican’s call to divest from the mining industry: that the mistakes of the past can be avoided in extracting rare earth minerals to supply a global tech boom.
Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.
It’s probably not an easy sell. The Vatican for years has taken a firm stand against multinational mining corporations, especially in Latin America and in favor of the Indigenous peoples, whose lands and livelihoods are oftenravaged when mining projects come to town.
Goldfajn’s visit, which followed one earlier this year by mining executives, suggests that he recognizes the weight of the pope’s words in the majo…
Top banker tried to sell Pope Leo pitch on rare earth mining to supply tech boom
Top banker tried to sell Pope Leo pitch on rare earth mining to supply tech boom
Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining.
A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining
A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining
A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth miningBy DAVID BILLER and NICOLE WINFIELDAssociated PressThe Associated PressROMEThe head of Latin America’s top development bank has made a case to Pope Leo XIV about the potential of rare earth mining. Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, argues it could benefit Latin America if done responsibly. Goldfajn met with the pope on Friday, acknowledging the Vatican’s opposition to multinational mining corporations. The Vatican has long supported Indigenous peoples affected by mining. Goldfajn believes the region can benefit from mining if proper standards and conditions are met. The Inter-American Development Bank has a $4 billion pipeline of mineral projects, mostly in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil.
ROME (AP) — The head of Latin America’s top development bank made a pitch to Pope Leo XIV this week in the face of the Vatican’s call to divest from the mining industry: that the mistakes of the past can be avoided in extracting rare earth minerals to supply a global tech boom.
Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately w…
A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining
A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining
A top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining
The President of the Inter-American Development Bank Ilan Goldfajn speaks to the Associated Press during an interview in Rome, Thursday, June 18, 2026. (AP Photo/Domenico Stinellis) 2026 Copyright The Associated Press
By David Biller And Nicole Winfield, The Associated Press
Posted Jun 20, 2026 06:51:35 AM.
Last Updated Jun 20, 2026 08:53:03 AM.
ROME (AP) — The head of Latin America’s top development bank made a pitch to Pope Leo XIV this week in the face of the Vatican’s call to divest from the mining industry: that the mistakes of the past can be avoided in extracting rare earth minerals to supply a global tech boom.
Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.
It’s probably not an easy sell. The Vatican for years has taken a firm stand against multinational mining corporations, especially in Latin America and in favor of the Indigenous peoples, whose lands a…
Top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining
Top banker tried to sway Pope Leo XIV on rare earth mining
The head of Latin America’s top development bank has made a case to Pope Leo XIV about the potential of rare earth mining
ROME --The head of Latin America’s top development bank made a pitch to Pope Leo XIV this week in the face of the Vatican’s call to divest from the mining industry: that the mistakes of the past can be avoided in extracting rare earth minerals to supply a global tech boom.
Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.
It’s probably not an easy sell. The Vatican for years has taken a firm stand against multinational mining corporations, especially in Latin America and in favor of the Indigenous peoples, whose lands and livelihoods are oftenravaged when mining projects come to town.
Goldfajn’s visit, which followed one earlier this year by mining executives, suggests that he recognizes the weight of the pope’s words in the majority-Catholic region, and a desire to sensitize him to the possibility of a b…
Corroboration
No verdict, no pronouncement. The model extracts atomic factual claims with verbatim quotes; every quote is validated against the source text and corroboration is computed by counting how many editorially-opposed blocs assert each fact. 8 fabricated/unverifiable quotes were rejected by the cite-or-die gate.
The spine · 7 facts corroborated across ≥2 opposed blocs
1×cross-perspective · 2Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with Pope Leo XIV on Friday.
other
nypost“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining.”
economictimes.indiatimes.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.”
abcnews.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.”
apnews.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.”
1×cross-perspective · 2Ilan Goldfajn asserted the potential of rare earth mining as a means to supply a global tech boom.
other
nypost“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining.”
economictimes.indiatimes.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.”
abcnews.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.”
accessnorthga.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, argues it could benefit Latin America if done responsibly.”
apnews.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.”
1×broadly confirmedIlan Goldfajn stated that rare earth mining could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.
other
economictimes.indiatimes.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.”
abcnews.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.”
apnews.com“Ilan Goldfajn, head of the Inter-American Development Bank, met privately with the pope on Friday and asserted the potential of rare earth mining, saying it could be a boon to Latin America provided there are safeguards and value is added locally.”
1×broadly confirmedThe Vatican has taken a firm stand against multinational mining corporations, especially in Latin America.
other
economictimes.indiatimes.com“The Vatican for years has taken a firm stand against multinational mining corporations, especially in Latin America and in favor of the Indigenous peoples, whose lands and livelihoods are often ravaged”
accessnorthga.com“The Vatican has long supported Indigenous peoples affected by mining.”
1×broadly confirmedThe Vatican has called for divestment from the mining industry.
other
abcnews.com“made a pitch to Pope Leo XIV this week in the face of the Vatican’s call to divest from the mining industry”
accessnorthga.com“made a pitch to Pope Leo XIV this week in the face of the Vatican’s call to divest from the mining industry”
apnews.com“made a pitch to Pope Leo XIV this week in the face of the Vatican’s call to divest from the mining industry”
1×broadly confirmedThe Vatican favors Indigenous peoples in the context of mining in Latin America.
other
economictimes.indiatimes.com“The Vatican for years has taken a firm stand against multinational mining corporations, especially in Latin America and in favor of the Indigenous peoples, whose lands and livelihoods are often ravaged”
accessnorthga.com“The Vatican has long supported Indigenous peoples affected by mining.”
1×broadly confirmedIlan Goldfajn’s visit to Pope Leo XIV followed an earlier visit by mining executives earlier this year.
other
abcnews.com“Goldfajn’s visit, which followed one earlier this year by mining executives, suggests that he recognizes the weight of the pope’s words in the majority-Catholic region, and a desire to”
apnews.com“Goldfajn’s visit, which followed one earlier this year by mining executives, suggests that he recognizes the weight of”
Single-source · 1 — reported by one bloc only (uncorroborated)
The Inter-American Development Bank has a $4 billion pipeline of mineral projects, mostly in Chile, Argentina, and Brazil.
accessnorthga.com
Framing · 3 — loaded language surfaced (spin shown, not adopted)
economictimes.indiatimes.com
“that the mistakes of the past can be avoided in extracting rare earth minerals to supply a global tech boom”
→ Ilan Goldfajn argued that rare earth mining can be conducted without repeating past harms to support technological demand.
economictimes.indiatimes.com
“It's probably not an easy sell”
→ Ilan Goldfajn’s proposal faces resistance due to Vatican opposition.
accessnorthga.com
“Goldfajn believes the region can benefit from mining if proper standards and conditions are met”
→ Ilan Goldfajn contends that responsible mining can benefit Latin America.