Reindeer husbandry and ore prospecting interests clash in Finnish Lapland

(Helsingin sanomat) Olli Pulju, 49, and his hired man Pasi Salmi, 26, are tending a herd of reindeer in Särkikoskenmaa, northeast of the village of Kersilö in Sodanylä, in Finnish Lapland. The herd is feeding on a patch of forest in the middle of a vast swamp. The world’s fourth largest mining company Anglo American [...]

“God Knew What He Was Doing When He Made Norway”, Industry Minister of Norway on Expanding Mining on Reindeer Pastures

So said, the Minister for Industry of Norway (Labour Party) while announcing a big increase in funding for mining exploration in the country in a story that appeared in Adressa.no The Norwegian Geological Survey (NGU) believes there is a vast wealth of minerals and ore under the soil just waiting to be exploiting – only [...]

Canadian Blackstone Ventures to Mine Reindeer Pastures, Sweden

The Canadian mining company Blackstone ventures has managed to buy the rights to start drilling in the Vindelfjällen nature reserve in the north of Sweden. The company is planning to drill right by one of the most ancient Sámi summer villages still inhabited every summer by the reindeer herders and reindeer  of Grans Sameby, the [...]

Debate on Mining in Finnmark Heats Up

(Map shows the mining claims in Kvalsund, an area important to migratory reindeer husbandry in Northern Norway, source: NGU) According to an article on TV2, one of the largest networks in Norway, Finnmark is sitting on a potential ‘treasure trove’ of over 1 billion NOK of valuable minerals and including cooper, gold, iron ore and [...]

Mining and Reindeer Can Mix According to Senior Politician, Norway

A multi stakeholder seminar was held in the Kautokeino, Norway yesterday which focussed on the issue of mining in Finnmark, an issue of some controversy in the region since the passing of the Finnmark Act which devolved desicion making powers over multiple resource issues to the region of Finnmark. The seminar was attended by the [...]

Canadian Mine Threatens Traditional Reindeer Husbandry, Sweden

(Press Release, Saami Council) The Saami people say a mining project in Northeastern Sweden, proposed by a Canadian company, threatens their traditional way of life and violates their basic human rights, as recognized by the United Nations. On 31 August 2009, Blackstone Ventures Inc., a Vancouver-based mining company, announced plans to begin test-drilling for minerals [...]

Газпром потратит на коренное население Ямала свыше 7 млрд. рублей

Газпром приступает к выполнению обязательств по компенсационным мероприятиям при освоении месторождений полуострова Ямал. В этом году в рамках заключенного с администрацией ЯНАО договора ООО «Газпром добыча Надым» выделяет на строительство жилья, объектов социально-культурного и хозяйственного назначения для коренных малочисленных народов Севера 2 млрд. 689 млн 90 тыс. рублей.

Muonio sameby oroas över planerad gruvverksamhet / Reindeer Herders in Muonio Fear Mining (Sweden)

Även om beskedet att det kanadensiska bolaget, Northland Resources fått tillstånd att bryta järnmalm i Pajala, så finns oron hos Muonio sameby kring vilka konsekvenser det får för renskötseln. / The Canadian mining company, Northland Resources has received permission to mine iron ore in Pajala, and as a result, there are concerns among Muonio Sameby [...]

Mining Talk Heats up in Finnmark

Gold, copper and platinum fever continue to pass over Finnmark. Test cores in Kvalsund had chief geologist Kjell Nilsen enthusing This is Norway’s largest copper find…We’re talking about billions. With today’s prices, we have found values of between eight and ten billion kroner (1.25 bn Euros) Other materials in a 6 kilometre ridge include platinum, [...]

Full Frontal Attack on Reindeer Husbandry (NRK Norway)

(Map showing extent of one claim in Kvalsund – Wega Mining) At a public meeting in Kvalsund, northern Norway, a full frontal attack on reindeer husbandry was launched by one of the parliamentary representatives for Finnmark, Olav Gunnar Ballo. The meeting had been called to discuss the issue of mining in the region where the international mining company [...]