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Chemical giant DuPont Co. agreed to halt plans to mine titanium along the edge of the Okefenokee Swamp, one of the world’s largest freshwater wetlands. The agreement would end efforts by DuPont to mine 39,000 acres near the swamp in southeast Georgia, which environmentalists said could pose a threat to the pristine wildlife refuge. That criticism led DuPont, based in Wilmington, Del., to stop construction of the strip mine in 1997 pending a study by a committee of representatives from DuPont, environmental groups and local governments. The resulting agreement is contingent on efforts to raise an undetermined amount of money to compensate DuPont, two timber companies and local governments for loss of revenue.

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German auto maker BMW dismissed its chairman, Bernd Pischetsrieder, and named former head of production Joachim Milberg to succeed him. The decision ended weeks of speculation that Pischetsrieder would be replaced after BMW’s failure to turn around its Rover unit since acquiring it in 1994. Pischetsrieder had orchestrated the Rover takeover. BMW also unexpectedly announced that Wolfgang Reitzle, widely considered next in line as chairman, was stepping down from his management board position.

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