15.10.2024
Groundwater Study Provides Important Information on the Current State of the Environment
Endomines is installing groundwater pipes along the Southern Gold Line for monitoring and studying groundwater. The study provides information on the quality, level, and flow of groundwater. The results will be used to support regional planning.
As part of the Environmental Impact Assessment (YVA) process for the mining project, Endomines is now installing groundwater pipes in the southern part of the Karelian Gold Line to study the current state of the area’s groundwater. A total of 16 pipes will be installed during the autumn. Soil samples will also be taken from the area during the installation of the pipes.
“After the installation of the groundwater pipes, the first water samples will be taken in the coming weeks, and thereafter Savo-Karjala Environmental Research Ltd (SKYT) will take samples at least four times a year,” says Endomines’ Development Director Sampo Hirvonen.
The groundwater will be tested for PIMA metals (Sb, As, Hg, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Pb, Ni, Zn, V) as well as sulfur, molybdenum, uranium, and silver concentrations. Additionally, the soil samples will be analyzed for soil type, grain size, and water permeability. The samples will be analyzed in an external laboratory.
No Impact on Groundwater
The Finnish Environmental Protection Act (527/2014) sets regulations and rules for the protection of groundwater. Groundwater is a source of drinking water and a vital natural resource, and according to the law, no substance or energy may be released into the groundwater in a way that could endanger its quality or reduce its usability. All operators working in groundwater areas must apply for an environmental permit before starting their activities.
“The groundwater study provides us with important information on the quality of the groundwater now during the planning phase of the mining project. Based on the results, we will carry out regional planning in such a way that there will be no impact on the groundwater,” says Hirvonen.
Measurement Points Clearly Marked
The environmental services company Suomen GPS-Mittaus Oy is installing the groundwater pipes along the Southern Gold Line. The pipes will be installed 4-6 meters below the water surface. A locked metal cover about one meter high will remain visible on the ground to ensure the reliability of the study.
“The measurement points will be clearly marked in the field, so they will not hinder, for example, forestry. The pipes will remain in the field for as long as necessary, but they will be removed at the end of the study. The study does not harm nature,” Hirvonen notes.
(Photos: Arto Väänänen)