energy resources & renewable, page-2

Mining firm puts the pressure on Greenland


Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd says maintaining the ban on uranium mining puts the Kvane Mountain mining project at risk (Photo: John Rasmussen)

Continuing a zero-tolerance policy toward uranium mining jeopardises a major mining project according to the director of Greenland Energy and Minerals Ltd
By Kurt Kristensen
Australian mining company Greenland Minerals and Energy Ltd, which currently hold a mineral exploration concession for Kvane Mountain in Narsaq, is putting the pressure on MPs as they prepare for the up-coming parliamentary election.
During the 2007-08 season, the company carried out a total of 30,000 metres of core drilling, but the latest season has seen a dramatic reduction in its activities on Kvane Mountain.
andlsquo;We will carry out between five and seven thousand metres of core drilling this season, from 16 June to about 1 September,andrsquo; said Johannes Kyed, director of the companyandrsquo;s Greenlandic subsidiary. He added that during the period the Kvane Mountain project would create jobs for ten people.
McIllree explained that the extreme slowdown was due to political uncertainty about parliamentandrsquo;s position concerning the issue of mining uranium as a by-product.
In 1988 Greenland introduced a zero-tolerance policy for the mining of radioactive materials. However, due to Kvane Mountainandrsquo;s special geology, it is not possible to mine the rare types of minerals without getting small amounts of uranium into the bargain.
andlsquo;If parliament sticks to its zero-tolerance policy for radioactive materials the future of the Narsaq project will no doubt be in jeopardy,andrsquo; said McIllree.
McIllree also pointed out that Greenland can not count on the company continuing to invest capital in a project without knowing if they will receive permission to use uranium as a bi-product.
andlsquo;That makes a decision demonstrating Greenlandandrsquo;s official position on mining uranium as a bi-product of utmost urgency,andrsquo; said McIllree.
Kalistat Lund, the man fronting the opposition against uranium mining, predicted that uranium would end up being a major element in the election debate in southern Greenland, and he has been proved right.
During a recent televised voter meeting in Qaqortoq, the largest town in southern Greenland, it was the major topic.
At least some MPs appear ready to take the uranium mining ban up to revision.
Jonathan Motzfeldt, a Siumut MP who has served as premier, was instrumental in the effort to introduce the zero-tolerance policy. Today, he says he is ready to accept mining for uranium as a by-product, if it can be done without harming the environment.
Currently, the only political party to have come out in favour of maintaining the zero-tolerance policy are Inuit Ataqatigiit