environmental concerns with uranium mining

Why not just wait for the clarification instead of mass hysterical speculation on what may or may not come to pass?

Environmental concerns would have to be addressed as part of a feasibility study and this is a late 2009/2010 event. The minister may (or may not!) have been misquoted, but he is a politician after all and has to be seen to be mindful of his constituents concerns. Ministers often say many things, but one needs to determine further if he even has the authority, in isolation, to make a decision which could have wider ramifications for the further economic development of Greenland before reaching for the parachutes. It would be very strange indeed that a conclusive decision would have been taken without having had a chance to consult a proper evaluation of the project from a wide range of angles. Quite simply, even GGG hasn't arrived at that point where all angles of the Kvanefjeld project have been researched.

And let's not forget this is a new government which has (a) not been in power for at least 30 years in Greenland; (b) is only about three weeks old and is learning how to govern from one day to the next; (c) is having to come to terms with all the responsibilities of what independence and power actually means, having to confront highly-emotive (and often misinformed) issues such as mining uranium (even as a by-product). It is unrealistic to expect the consistency and (in)competence of a Western-style democrativ government overnight!

A simple google search on the environmental concerns with uranium mining throws up quite a number of supportive articles. I have attached some, one of which relates to a mine in Slovakia, with similar issues. Feasibility will determine what kind of mining will be required, but if in-situ leaching were required to extract Uranium (and I'm no expert), it is supposed to be safe.

I am a medium-term investor, having weighed up the pros and cons a couple of years ago. And even in a worst case if the project eventually didn't get the go ahead, I would respect the Greenland's people's right to say no and take it on the chin. That's what investing is about: some you win, some you lose. But I don't think we are even close to evaluating that point just yet. Never did the course of true love run smooth...

http://www.world-nuclear.org/info/inf25.html

http://www.cvmbs.colostate.edu/erhs/uranium_mining_info.htm

http://www.huliq.com/19609/ultra-uranium-addresses-environmental-concerns