An administrative court in Hämeenlinna, south-central Finland, has dismissed complaints from several nature conservation organisations regarding an ore-prospecting permit granted to an Australian company.
The appeal was filed by four local conservation groups in 2021 when an ore prospecting licence was transferred to the Australian company from a Finnish firm, Sotkamo Silver. The transfer had been approved by the Finnish Safety and Chemicals Agency (Tukes), but the conservation agencies were concerned about its impact on the local wildlife.
Following the court's decision, NewPeak Finland is now allowed to search for gold in Valkeakoski. The prospecting area is located within the city of Valkeakoski and covers an area of 25 hectares.
Second Australian firm to start prospecting in the area
The local nature conservation agencies' appeal focused on the potential impact of mining on the area's biodiversity, specifically the woodland brown butterfly, as well as the local osprey population. The groups also said they don't trust the Australian company's financial standing and operating methods.
In its decision, the local administrative court noted that the prospecting permit does not cover land designated as a nature reserve, and pointed out that drilling activity in the area had been ongoing for several years. During this time, observations of the woodland brown butterfly had been still made.
NewPeak Finland is the second Australian company seeking gold in the Pirkanmaa region. Dragon Mining made headlines by buying the closed Orivesi gold mine. The company has also operated in Valkeakoski and Sastamala.
The operation of the Orivesi mine ceased when Dragon Mining failed to obtain a new environmental permit due to the contamination of nearby waterways by the mine's wastewater.
