Description of the company
In Suhanko, Southern Lapland, there are deposits containing precious and base metals that have been explored over a number of decades. Now, a mining project is being planned for the area, with construction work intended to commence in 2025.
Suhanko Arctic Platinum Oy or SAP, which is a mining development and exploration company founded in 2018 and a wholly owned Finnish subsidiary of CD Capital Natural Resources Fund III L.P., is responsible of the project. The parent company is managed by the British private equity investment company CD Capital Asset Management Ltd (CD Capital). SAP is committed to commissioning into use the Finnish Network for Sustainable Mining.
Suhanko is a polymetallic deposit. Suhanko ore depositscontain palladium, platinum, copper, nickel, gold, cobalt and rhodium, which with the exception of gold, are included in EU’s basket of critical metals and are essential in Europe’s pursuit of green energy production, mitigation of harmful emissions, self-sufficiency and electrification of the society, The deposits are located in Ranua, right to the border of Tervola, 45 kilometres south of Rovaniemi city center.
Social Responsibility Report
Company in figures
- Total mining: 407,539 t of utility rock was mined as road construction material from the Konttijärvi utility rock quarry.
- Reported minerals reserves: 341 million tons (palladium 1,01 g/t, platinum 0,24 g/t, gold 0,09 g/t, copper 0,18 %, nickel 0,08 %). Reclassification of ore reserves, and detailed mine planning are ongoing.
- Year of commencement: Target 2027
- Mining area: 4 198 hectares (three mining areas/concessions, of which Suhanko accounts for 4,144 hectares)
- Number of own employees (31.12.): 8 persons
- The main localities of the employees: Rovaniemi
- Number of employees of permanent contractors: 8 persons
Information about prospecting
The company has valid exploration permits covering total of 6,915 hectares (six permits). Exploration is carried out in Ranua, Rovaniemi, Tervola and Keminmaa municipalities. Suhanko Arctic Platinum Oy’s exploration and research methods consist of drilling, ground geophysical and airborne geophysical surveys, exploration trenches made with excavators, bedrock mapping, saw-channel sampling, sampling using a mini-drill, RC drilling, geochemical sampling and boulder mapping. In addition, the company has conducted trial mining and numerous metallurgical tests on ore samples, in particular in connection with the feasibility studies for the Suhanko mining project.
- Number and area of reservation areas: -
- Number and area of exploration permit areas: 6 pcs and 6 915 ha
- Number and area of exploration permit applications: 10 pcs and 19 910 ha
- Exploration permits under appeal: -
- Exploration drilling: -
Environment
The company's environmental practices:
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Location in a nature reserve* | ||
| Environmental Management System ** | ||
| Environmental impact assessment required (in accordance with the EIA Act) | ||
| Measurements for dust | ||
| Measurements for noise | ||
| Measurements for vibration | ||
| Environmental risk assessment carried out | ||
| Deviations from the environmental permit *** | ||
| Closure plan for the mine | ||
| Plan for the controlled shutdown of the mine in unexpected situations |
- * Private protected area (15 ha)
- * Not certified
- Environmental permit granted: Yes
- Year of permit: 2005. However, since the license was granted, the practices and requirements have changed. For this reason, on April 28, 2023, Suhanko Arctic Platinum Oy submitted an environmental and water management permit application for the entire mining operation to the Regional State Administrative Agency of Northern Finland. The processing of the application was pending on 31 December 2023.
- Link of permit: -
- Guarantee in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act: -
- Financial guarantee in accordance with the mining act in the mining permit area: 63,000 €
- Financial guarantee in accordance with the mining act in mineral exploration permit area: 31,000 €
Key Figures
- Amount of extractive waste: -
- Utilization of extractive waste: -
- Fuel consumption: Not reported
- Other energy consumption: Not reported
- Energy consumption target: -
- CO2 emissions: -
- Water consumption: Not reported
- Discharge of water outside the mining area: -
- Number of dams in the mining area: -
- Endangered species are present in the operational area: kylla
- Use of environmentally hazardous chemicals: -
- Biodiversity actions: Extensive surveys of above-mentioned species (2013, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021 and 2022) and planning compensation measures.
Personnel and security
The company's personnel practices:
| Yes | No | |
|---|---|---|
| Staff initiative system | ||
| Performance appraisals concerning the entire personnel | ||
| Staff training plan | ||
| Equality plan | ||
| Employee representation in company administration | ||
| Occupational health and safety management system* | ||
| Occupational safety card for everyone working in the area | ||
| Own rescue unit |
- * Not certified
Key Figures
- Average training days: 0,25 days/employee
- Sickness absences (excluding contractors): 1,79 % (percentage share of sick leave absences/workdays)
- Accident frequency: 0 accidents per million work hours (accidents that have led to the loss of more than one working shift)
- Shift systems in use: one-shift system, two-shift system, weekday system (Monday to Friday)
- Share of women in the labour force: -
Impact on the use and livelihoods of nearby areas
Impact on local livelihood:
Impacts on local businesses: Exploration is practised in the reindeer herding area, belonging to the reindeer herding cooperatives of Isosydänmaa (9,800 ha), Narkaus (7,600 ha) and Niemelä (1,000 ha). The municipalities, residents of neighbouring regions, landowners and reindeer herding cooperatives have been identified as belonging to the company’s most central stakeholders and the stakeholder work conducted by the company shall also take into consideration the local businesses.
Impact on nearby recreational use:
According to the company’s own estimates, its operations have not had any impacts on the recreational use of the neighbouring areas.
Impacts on landscape value:
The company’s impacts on landscape values have studied in three different EIAs that have investigated the landscape impacts of the planned mining projects.
Interaction with stakeholders
Stakeholder cooperation:
- The social impact assessment was conducted in 2013, but social impacts are not monitored.
- Stakeholders are communicated information about the company’s operations in the local newspaper, at information briefings, on the website, by email and by regular mail.
- From the company’s perspective, the form of collaboration with reindeer herding cooperatives, property owners, stakeholders and others currently using the mining area has been good. The company has put special effort into informing about project plans, permits and exploration work.
- The company has supported local club activities.
- The stakeholders have their own channel, through which feedback can be given.
Research and cooperation projects:
Not reported.