Yara’s Siilinjärvi mine expansion environmental impact assessment report available for public review

The environmental impact assessment report for Yara’s Siilinjärvi mine expansion has been made available for public review, with feedback accepted until the end of September. The assessment examines the environmental implications of a new quarry to be opened in the Laukansalo area, along with expansions of three existing quarries and waste areas. Additionally, it evaluates the expansion of the enrichment sand area and the water reservoir.

Ramboll Finland served as the consultant for the assessment. Five implementation options have been analyzed, with the “zero option” representing continuation under current permits. Ramboll suggests that options 3 and 4 are the most favorable, as they involve the least land alteration. Under these options, no side rock area would be opened in Laukansalo, and the quarry would be smaller compared to options 1 and 2. Mining activities would be situated farther from residential areas, though the waste area would be higher but smaller than in options 1 and 2. The significant environmental impacts in Laukansalo would stem from noise, vibration, and visual changes.

According to the assessment, the expansion in the Koivumäki area would hinder at least one farm’s operations under options 1 and 3. Additionally, the Ansanmäki expansion in the Kolmisopen area would significantly disrupt several farms. Large tracts of land would be removed from recreational and hunting use, leading to adverse effects from dust, noise, and landscape changes.

Yara aims to continue mining until the 2060s and projects that, with the expansions, total extraction volume could increase by about one-third. Following these changes, annual extraction is expected to grow from 20-30 million tons to approximately 35-40 million tons. The continuation of mining is anticipated to positively impact job preservation and tax revenue generation, enhancing supply security for fertilizers mainly used in domestic agriculture and forest fertilization. The Siilinjärvi mine is recognized as the only phosphate mine in the European Union, with its minerals classified among the EU’s critical raw materials.