Foreign companies eagerly prospecting for uranium in Finland

Foreign mining companies are showing increased interest in mining uranium in Finland. The most recent new arrival is a Canadian company, the Vancouver-based Mawson Resources Limited.
      The company has been granted five claim reservations by the Ministry of Trade and industry to search for uranium in three Finnish municipalities. The permission was granted to Mawson’s Swedish subsidiary Mawson Energi Ab.
      The ministry’s decision came already on October 18th, but at that time the move fell below the radar of both the media and the environmental lobby.
     
The reservations for uranium exploration were granted to Mawson Energi under terms of Finnish mining legislation, and apply to Juuka in North Karelia, Posio in the Kainuu region, and Nilsiä in North Savo.
      The company has also applied for a claim reservation in Kuusamo.
      "Mawson’s arrival among the applicants for permission suggests that there is very brisk activity on the uranium front in Finland right now", says Pirjo Savolainen of the Ministry of Trade and Industry.
      "However, granting a reservation for prospecting for uranium only gives a company so-called everyman’s rights, which means that they are allowed to walk in a certain area with measuring devices", Savolainen points out.
     
Mawson notes on its website that there has been previous prospecting for uranium in several of these areas.
      Mark Saxon, Mawson’s Vice President of Exploration, says in an interview with the local Nilsiä newspaper Pitäjäläinen that the company became interested in the Saramäki area in Nilsiä following discoveries made by the Geological Survey of Finland.
      He notes that the company’s research of the area had previously taken place mainly in libraries and archives.
     
Work in the terrain itself is to begin in the spring after the snow has melted. The claim reservation does not yet authorise the company to do any excavation.
      "A claim reservation in a certain area naturally only means that competitors are not allowed to search there", Savolainen notes. She adds that it is a long process before a uranium mine can be established.
      There has not been much public debate in Juuka, Nilsiä, or Posio on the prospect of uranium mining in the area.
      "Big wheels are turning, and there are rules for searching for minerals and ores", notes Nilsiä Mayor Jorma Autio.
      "Nobody has been in touch with the local authority, and we are simply following the situation."
     
Juuka Mayor Ahti Puumalainen feels that there is no reason for concern over the claim reservation.
      Posio Mayor Mika Riipi notes that the reservation is a very early stage of the process, and does not necessarily mean that a mine will be set up.
      Pirjo Savolainen says that unnecessary fears have been raised over the possibility of uranium mining.


Previously in HS International Edition:
  TV programme investigates French mining company prospecting for uranium in Finland (24.10.2006)
  Farmers and summer residents unite against uranium prospecting (11.10.2006)
  Eastern Uusimaa residents grill uranium company about exploration rights (21.2.2006)
  Four foreign mining companies prospect for uranium in Finland (18.1.2006)

Links:
  Mawson Resources news release 14.11: Mawson Granted Five Uranium Claims in Finland (PDF)
  Ministry of Trade and Industry: Uranium in Finnish bedrock attracts exploration companies