Kittilä residents welcome news of new gold mine
Street poll reveals no opponents
News that a gold mine would be set up in the municipality of Kittilä in Finnish Lapland was welcomed with open arms by local residents and decision-makers.
"This will give permanent jobs to half of Kittilä's unemployed. They will get a well-paid new profession. It is rare for anything like this to happen in any municipality", said municipal mayor Seppo Maula.
The Canadian mining company Agnico-Eagle said on Monday that it would open a gold mine in Kittilä.
Mining operations are set to begin in 2008, and production is likely to continue for at least 13 years.
The mine is expected to create 200 jobs in a community with 400 people out of work. If secondary employment effects are included, the total number of jobs created in the community could reach 400. The number is significant for the whole area of Finnish Lapland.
The happy news is sending one local man to the barber.
Three years ago, when the Seppo Maula said that the arrival of the mine was a virtual certainty, special psychologist Timo Yliranta of the area's employment office had his doubts.
"I promised not to go to the barber before the mine comes. I've been watching my hair grow for three years now", Yliranta laughed.
There are already 300 names on a list of people interested in working at the mine.
"I don't know when anything this big would have happened from the point of view of employment. Perhaps when the first resort hotel in Levi was built."
People on the streets of the main village of Kittilä were unanimously happy.
"Our telephones have been ringing all day", said Leena Koskamo, who works at the municipal employment office.
Tommi Sandberg, who runs a grocery store, was also satisfied.
"It is hard to say which is more important, this, or the growth of tourism, but it does bring faith in the long term."
The mine is even seen as a potential tourist attraction.
Mikko Lehtiniemi, 55, who lost his job with the Finnish Road Administration two years ago, plans to apply for work at the mine.
"Maybe they won't take someone as old as I am, but of course I will try. It was great that it came.
His mother Lempi Lehtiniemi, 80, is pleased.
"It is good that young people get jobs. Work here is mainly seasonal, and there are many young people without jobs. However, a big open mine will eliminate plenty of berry-picking land, but this Lapland is a large area", she laughs.
Eila Räsänen, 22, has friends who plan to apply for work at the mine.
"Hopefully the population will increase, and the municipality will increase its services for children and young people", says Räsänen, who works in the care sector.
Opposition to the mine has been quite mild.
"If this were a uranium mine, things would be different, but gold has a plus sign", the Seppo Maula said.
Special efforts have been made to keep the local people informed about the project. Not even the cyanide that is used in the gold refining process has caused much concern.
"The environment licence went through the appeals process, but there was little opposition. The environment licences have clearly-defined conditions, and cyanide is used very much around the world", says Heino Alaniska, the director of the future mine says.
"The way that the company operates is to do more than what is demanded in the licence", says Ingmar Haga, head of European operations of Agnico-Eagle.
The company's share price declined after Monday's announcement, but Haga sees this as a normal reaction to an announcement of a heavy investment and a new share issue.
Previously in HS International Edition:
Europe´s largest gold mine to be opened in Finnish Lapland (6.6.2006)
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 7.6.2006 - TODAY |
Kittilä residents welcome news of new gold mine
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