NEWS

Finland Permits Local Uranium Search

Friday, January 19, 2007 - The Finnish government on Friday granted permission to a local company for uranium exploration in northern Finland, and rejected applications from French nuclear group Areva for similar searches in other parts of the country.

The Trade and Industry Ministry granted a one-year permit to Namura Finland Oy to search for uranium near Kuusamo, some 500 miles northeast of Helsinki. However, the permit includes restrictions because part of the region is a nature reserve.

It also does not allow the company to start any mining activity without a separate permit.

The ministry refused applications from Areva, one of the world's largest uranium suppliers, to prospect for uranium in southern Finland and Arctic Lapland, saying the applications were "inadequate and lacking in detail."

Trade and Industry Minister Mauri Pekkarinen said the applications from the French state-owned group, formerly known COGEMA, did not meet Finnish environmental standards and failed to conform to Finnish mining legislation.

Also, Pekkarinen said he feared "the exceptionally large area" in the French company's application could interfere with competition by excluding other possible prospectors.

"It seems as if COGEMA (Areva) is attempting to reserve the rights to research for a long period," Pekkarinen said.

The areas in Areva's applications cover 112 square miles in the south and in Kolari, some 600 miles north of the Finnish capital.

In October, the government granted COGEMA permission to prospect for uranium in eastern Finland, but did not grant it mining rights.

However, COGEMA ceased all research in the region after a local court squashed its permit following complaints from local residents and environmental officials.


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