PROPOSED RARE EARTH MINING

[RHYBAK]

Please watch the attached video about the proposed rare earth minig project'
Thank You Kipawa Jim for sending it to me.


http://aptn.ca/news/2014/09/02/algonquin-concerned-canadas-first-rare-earth-metal-mine-plan/

[600 miles north]

     Thanks RHYBAK for sharing this....

Brad

[Dog]

If there is money to be made, rare earth mining will occur and we will all have to get over it and find a way to enjoy the area anyway.

It's the way the world is and it's not a personalized attack on Quebec or the Kipawa area watershed or the people who reside there.
Hundreds of companies are looking to mine rare earth elements all over the world... in Canada, in the USA in Mexico in Russia etc...

It is going to happen. The companies do not need (y)our permission, they simply have to satisfy the environmental regulations of the region where they intend to mine (and thank God in Canada and the US those regulations are a lot more stringent than in China!). Because of this, the methods used in China are likely not the same methods that will be permitted in North America... Once the companies prove that (and they will prove that with their studies) it'll be time to open up the mine after the public hearing so they give notice to everyone what they're doing. Make no mistake, that public hearing is merely a check in the box of the process to open the mine. It's a method to inform the public what they're doing, we can all show up and disagree and yell all we want but it will not matter and we'll only end up looking ignorant because we'll be arguing feelings against facts.

Facts always win and they have their facts published in their environmental study/ report. They'll have their baseline and (by regulation) be forced to take samples as the operation progresses to monitor the impact and if it gets above the threshhold, they'll have to pay to clean it up and shut it down.

This is the same process the Nuclear Regulatory Commission has in place when it wants to open a nuclear reactor site in the USA... Generally speaking, people fear what they do not understand... and when this happens, people naturally fight fact, with feeling and in the end, look completely uneducated in the process.

If I were a local to this area or had a business I would figure out a way to make money off of this because it's going to happen, so you might as well benefit from it financially like everyone else...

This is the reality, I suggest we all warm up to it, even if we don't agree with it or like it.

off my soapbox...

[RHYBAK]

Good for you Dog.
My feelings exactly but I didn't know how to say it in a" politically correct" manner.
What is meant to happen,will happen....NO MATTER WHAT.

Maybe a little bit of radiation will morph those walleye into bigger serpents.

[Dog]

 

[puckster_guy]

A little truth in advertising wouldn't hurt either. Instead of uaing the euphanism "rare earth" mine how about calling it a radio active Thorium open pit mine? Blasting radio active dust into the atmosphere?

[SgtCrabby]

Probably they use the euphemism to sugar coat what they're planning to do to keep part of the population oblivious to what is going to happen. 
Seems to be too common in journalism these days also.

[puckster_guy]

 Agreed Sarge

[johnny walleye]

Dog could not have said it better.

[CaptainCrappie]

Dog's reply was a very good practical explanation of the situation.  I'm a bit more cynical. Having been around the block a few times I believe that no matter what the dangers are, the outcome will be, whatever the powers that be want, they'll get. The public really has very little influence on decisions where vast sums money are involved. Oh, they act like it does but...

The effects on the environment are always talked about.  Companies present arguments regarding how safe their procedures will be and until the accident happens, their inability to fix that accident is not really known.  That oil spill in the Gulf is a recent example.  People are still reeling from that, and legitimate claims are still being denied. Corporate lawyers are not on the payroll for nothing.

But, we live on a planet with decreasing resources and the more scarce they become, the more valuable they become. Funny how the environmental concerns always take a back seat when it comes to money. So does the concern that future generations will be effected in an adverse way. After all, we won't be here to see it, will we?  So for now, when they tell me to bend over, and to trust to them, they better be checking my prostate!

C.C. 

[Dog]

yeah I'm not saying I like the reality either... but it is, what it is.

Trust me, I'm the first to run the BS flag up the flag pole on a lot of this stuff as well... for instance, all the PC correct wording industries use these days. Just say what the heck you're doing, don't sugar coat it, ya know?!!!.. that is freaking annoying.

anyhow.... I do find a few things about this whole debate (as with any) a bit comical... here's two to chew on.

1) In order to "save the environment" from greenhouse gases, by producing more hybrid/ electric cars, we need to first potentially harm it long term by stripping out rare earth elements with a half life of billions of years... riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight

2) I love people who cry "Oh the environment!!!" how could you do this for these minerals... then,  they whip out their smart phones, walkie talkies, or get in their hybrids or go home and watch their LCD/LED Flat screen tv .. all of which are products that use these exact elements (in some form or fashion) that the companies want to mine.. Either be against it (Totally) or for it... but please don't be a hypocrite and if you are, don't be offended when people (like me) point it out to you. 

[NortonJoe]

It really is a catch-22...most of us like our computers, cellphones, High Def flatscreen televisions, et cetera but that all comes at a price.  I certainly hope the powers that be in Canada take all the steps necessary to protect the environment in the Kipawa region if this rare earth mining proceeds...but we all know the almighty dollar (whether American or Canadian) corrupts

[crunchie]

Got to agree with all your posts, money is the driving force and always will be.  heck, we're recycling in town here and I heard it's all going to landfill because the govt. won't help enough financialy (the triage centre is too far).  So basically, we're recycling for nothing, go figure.

[Dog]

I watched a 20/20 special report about old tv's the other night... Apparently all old tube tv's (and computer screens) end up in some huge pit in Africa, regardless point of origin or manner of disposal at the point of origin... to prove the point 20/20 put gps tracking devices in 20 tube style tv's disposed of in different manners (some in black garbage bags in conventional trash), some taken to specialty recycling centers and some taken to scrap yards all over the world.... USA, Germany, China, Japan, and England were all countries they put gps tracking devices in old monitors... turns out every single monitor ended up in that same pit in Africa (eventually, some were delayed in China's repository for a few months)). So while you may think you're doing something "good for the environment" it's not always the case.... The ironic part was when 20/20 made the Germans aware that their recycling center was essentially not doing it's job, it paid to have the TV shipped back to the recycling center, not sure what ever happened once it got there though. haha