B. McPherson

Tuesday, 13 November 2012

Finland is waking up to the realization that they are coping with their worst toxic spill ever. A formerly pristine area of eastern Finland has become fouled by uranium and nickel. Leachate ponds for the Talvivaara Mine have failed and are allowing toxic levels of nickel to spill into nearby waterways.

The local health people say that the levels of radiation from the uranium are below levels that would damage health – unless the radioactive material gets into the drinking water supply. That means that people cannot use the water from lakes, streams or rivers in the area for cooking or drinking. Due to the possible impact on skin, it is also recommended that people not use the water in their saunas.

The Talvivaara mine is an open pit operation, extracting low grade nickel sulphide. Other metals extracted include copper, zinc and cobalt. The method used is a leaching process where the crushed ore sits in ponds in a leaching solution. It is the main pond that has failed this time.

Local tourist operators in the area of the Talvivaara mine complain that the rotten egg smell from the leaching ponds have ruined their business. A worker at the site not correctly wearing protective gear has died from breathing the toxic fumes. Hydrogen sulphide combines with oxygen in the air to form sulphuric acid.

Many times entrepreneurs sell a local population on the value of a resource extraction project. They predict good paying jobs, tax money for improvements and a higher standard of living. All too often there’s a short burst of affluence and then the environmental bill comes due.

Video on link

More heavy metals found in waters around Talvivaara

The Finnish Environment Institute (Syke) has observed high levels of heavy metals in water courses around the Talvivaara mine.

Talvivaara mine allowed a significant amount of heavy metals to escape into the local environment on Sunday. Levels found in samples taken in the area on Sunday are poisonous to fish and other organisms, and could cause fish deaths in the area.

The Environment Institute has observed increased levels of cadmium, aluminium and uranium in addition to the previously-observed high levels of nickel.

Syke’s Seppo Rekolainen said at a press conference on Tuesday evening that the samples taken on Sunday showed new elements, in addition to the previously-observed nickel and uranium, were now present at elevated levels in the streams around Talvivaara.

Syke: Cadmium and uranium levels poisonous

Special researcher Jaakko Mannio said that the elevated aluminium levels were a surprise, and could cause fish kills.

He said that fish in Kivijärvi, to the south of the mining area, are expected to be badly affected, while it was too early to estimate likely levels in Laakajärvi, further south.

Tero Varjoranta of the Radiation and Nuclear Authority (STUK) said that uranium levels were elevated, but not a danger to humans. The samples tested most recently showed levels at 350 microgrammes per litre, while the recommended limit is 100 microgrammes.

STUK will have more information on the matter on Wednesday.

Kainuu ‘s ELY-keskus, a regional body tasked with promoting sustainable development, said on Tuesday that production at the mine will remain shut down. Talvivaara is to provide more information on how it will secure the mine’s leaky gypsum pond and ensure the safety of nearby water courses.

http://yle.fi/uutiset/more_heavy_metals_found_in_waters_around_talvivaara/6375294

High uranium levels found near Finnish mine leak

Fri, 9 Nov 2012 12:42 GMT

Source: Reuters // Reuters

* Nuclear authority says uranium levels more than 50 times higher than normal

* Report says waste water leak continuing

* Talvivaara had hoped to restart production by weekend (Recasts with authority’s statement on uranium levels)

HELSINKI, Nov 9 (Reuters) – Radioactive uranium more than 50 times higher than the normal level has been found in a stream in Finland’s rural east after a leak of waste water from a nearby mine belonging to Talvivaara , nuclear safety officials said on Friday.

But Finnish authorities said they did not see a risk to public health after taking samples on Tuesday and Wednesday close to the nickel and zinc mine some 30 km (20 miles) outside the town of Sotkamo. The ore from the mine also contains uranium.

Talvivaara shut down the mine on Sunday after discovering the waste water leakage, the latest in a series of problems at the site over the past year including environmental concerns and the death of a worker in March.

The company said earlier on Friday the leak was fixed, but public broadcaster YLE later reported the problem had resumed.

Talvivaara’s London-listed shares fell 11 percent to 108.58 pence, while those on the Helsinki bourse fell 10.5 percent to 1.36 euros.

A continued leak makes it unlikely the company, which pioneered the use of bacteria to extract nickel, will restart its metals plant soon. It said earlier this week it planned to restart it by the weekend. (Reporting by Terhi Kinnunen; Writing by Ritsuko Ando; Editing by Jon Hemming)

http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/high-uranium-levels-found-near-finnish-mine-leak