PM Ponta points to Finland's mining experience amid Rosia Montana row

Romania’s PM Ponta says the country has to “learn from the Finnish model” in tapping mineral resources amid protests in Romania and abroad against RMGC’s bid to start gold and silver mining in Rosia Montana.

The PM, which went on one day official visit in Finland on Monday, said Romania has to find the right conditions to protect the environment, in order to make the mining industry “sustainable” from the vantage point of the economy and the environment.

“The Finnish standards are the highest in the field and I requested an information exchange, technical assistance, a dialogue with governmental authorities and with the private sector in this field, especially because a debate on the mining sector is currently taking place in Romania, of how we can profit from our natural resources and protect the environment in the same time,” said Ponta during a joint press conference with Jyrki Katainen, Finland’s PM.

According to Mediafax newswire, Ponta stated that 52 mines are operational in Finland, extracting gold, chrome or copper.

“The mining sector can be a sustainable arm of the industry if it’s properly regulated. This regulation doesn’t need to cover everything, but the important matters, from the environmental and social point of view,” said Katainen.

While the draft bill regulating mining activities is currently debated by a special commission in Parliament, people continued to protest in Bucharest and across major cities in Romania and abroad against the project. They are calling for a ban of cyanide mining in Romania and are urging the PM to resign.

During his visit in Poland, PM Ponta defended the cyanide solution in the mining sector, claiming that it’s used in many technologies in Romania.

“Even in Finland they exploit (e.n. gold) using cyanide. I don’t know very well the technical aspects, but we can learn from them so as to know what we can ask as environmental standards from any company, not a specific one, but from anyone willing to invest in Romania,” said Ponta.

At present, two Canada-based miners are working to get their environmental permits for mining activities in Romania.

Rosia Montana Gold Corporation, the miner controlled by Canada’s Gabriel Resources, plans to develop Europe’s largest gold mining project in Rosia Montana. The Ministry of Environment said it would make a decision after the draft bill goes through the Parliament.

Eldorado Gold, another Canada-based miner, was granted last year the environmental permit to start gold mining in Certej, but was later strapped of this permit after the government said it should have been informed about it. Meanwhile, the company started to explore three new gold deposits in the Apuseni Mountains.

Ovidiu Posirca

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