On January 18 this year, the mining company Keliber sent an MKB description to the Finnish NTM Central in Southern Ostrobothnia. The description relates to the breaking of spodumene containing lithium in the mines of Syväjärvi, Länttä, Rapasaari, and Outovesi. Now the NTM Central has issued an opinion, writes the Finnish, Swedish language newspaper Österbotten.
The Kelibers plant in Kalavesi in Kaustby produce 600,000 tonnes annually. The environmental impact of the production plant has been estimated in a separate environmental impact assessment procedure.
The treated wastewater from the mines in Länttä and Syvävesi is diverted via Ullava and into Perho. Depending on the project alternatives, the wastewater from Rapasaari and Outovesi is diverted either via Ullava or Köyhäjoki to and from Perho.
A total of 21 statements and 9 opinions have been submitted on the assessment description. Last week, NTM sent a statement on the description. The NTM Center considered that the description provides a sufficient picture of the environmental impact of the project.
In the continued planning of the project, attention should also be paid to the impact of the project on the water, such as the water balance of the mining areas, the nitrogen burden due to explosives, the chlorine content in the deep groundwater and harmful substances in the slate. The assessment of the fish stocks in Ullava should also be clarified and any spells in the area of Syväjärvi and the living conditions of divers should be investigated.
One should also draw attention to road safety along Länäntie, the junction of the highway 63 and forest roads that lead to the areas of Outovesi, Syväjärvi and Rapasaari.
Sources: ÖT-VBL
