One aspect that doesn't get mentioned enough is that Talga had two trial mines. The second trial mine for 25,000 tons was only 4 times smaller than what the fully permitted mine will be. This provides large scale, real world world data that'll prove to be highly valuable in any appeals case. The numbers aren't estimated, they come from successful implementation that has already occurred in the real world. In a court with no agenda, this will be hard to disprove. The mining has already occurred, albeit on a scale 4 times smaller - did the sky fall? Were the reindeer herders obstructed? No.
As for the anode refinery, Norrbotten County Administration Board are following what has been put in place previously in the Environmental Code. They want clarification from the water authority and if the authority grants an exemption then I highly doubt CAB will want to appeal this decision. They have been positive throughout and also stated in the same press release:
"The County Administrative Board is fundamentally positive about this type of activity, which is part of the industrial transition and which can contribute to a lower climate impact. In this case, the business intends to manufacture components for batteries for e.g. electric cars."
If we apply further logic, if the waterways are considered to be above the threshold for acceptable levels of pollution before any of these industrial projects are even built, then what an absolute disaster this will be for Lulea and Sweden. Does this seem like a legitimate possibility? That all this work, talk, planning and development has gone into this project of not only national but European significance, only for them to pull the plug?
Where Talga's anode plant is situated, the Sörbrändöfjärden isn't weaving through communities like the Torne river does because the industrial park is located directly on the edge of the coast, it basically goes directly into the Baltic Sea. Fears of contamination should be less because of this location, for example no drinking water contamination from 44kg of zinc per annum because obviously rivers flow outward.
That being said, even though this is an industrial area with land owned by the municipality that want the industrial park to go ahead, an appeal should be expected. Not from CAB, but from more NIMBYs. This happened to H2 Green Steel in their new industrial park in Boden. The appeal was rejected in their case and the company proceeded.
Anyway, all my opinion DYOR etc.
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