One of Sweden’s nuclear power plants, Ringhals. In order to work it needs uranium, but from where should it be taken? Photo: Vattenfall.
During the last five years several companies have test-drilled, looking for uranium in different parts of Sweden. Now one of them has found deposits large enough, which has once again sparked the debate about uranium mining.
Fear pollution
In Jämtland, where the deposits are found, the opinions about this project are dividing the local society. Some say to the environmental radio show Klotet (“the Globe”) that they are afraid of pollution and worrying about what would happen to the residues. They also fear that it could threaten tourism, forestry and agriculture. Others mean that the technology is advanced enough to run a safe and clean mine, and hope it could give a reason to stay for the area’s young inhabitants, who are now leaving for jobs in other parts of the country.
Local veto right
The way from finding uranium deposits to actually start mining is quite long, though. Several courts have to decide if mining is possible and on what environmental terms it could be performed. After that the municipality still has a right to veto, and could say no to uranium mining. This is what happened in Ranstad LÄNK in the west of Sweden over 30 years ago. That stopped further mining in Sweden’s up until now only uranium mine.
Nuclear power plants produce almost half of Sweden’s electricity. We import around 1 500 tons of uranium every year, mostly from Canada and Namibia, South Africa, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Russia. As I have written here before, the nuclear power itself has been a matter of discussion in Sweden ever since the 1980 referendum.
