Udon Potash mining status

[bumper]

As I recall the Thai Construction compnay ITD bailed out on this one. that's a good thing. But, never trust my memory I don't.

[parrot]

There's a short 5 min documentary recently produced that discusses villager concerns about the potash mine. It's in Thai, but if you have a live-in translator, maybe she/he can give you some insight.
We arrived in Udon 15 years ago and there were ongoing efforts to get approval for the mine. 15 years later.......still no mine.
http://www.udon108.com/board/index.php?topic=177258.0

[Lao-miner]

There's a short 5 min documentary recently produced that discusses villager concerns about the potash mine. It's in Thai, but if you have a live-in translator, maybe she/he can give you some insight.
We arrived in Udon 15 years ago and there were ongoing efforts to get approval for the mine. 15 years later.......still no mine.
http://www.udon108.com/board/index.php?topic=177258.0

ITs never easy in populous countries and Thailand is not very positive when it comes to mining anything , permits take forever and sometimes mining companys need to just walk away no matter the potential profits ,

[FrazeeDK]

and so it continues.. The EIA was supposedly finished last year with a projected "start" date for the mine of December 2014. I've driven through the area recently, there's nothing going on.. Is it waiting for the dual-track standard gauge railway so Potash can be exported easily to China?? http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 64311.html

[bumper]

Probably, I hope the local end up with tap water they can use when this gets going. A section of Bangkok doesn't have it now. I don;t mean for drinking I do enjoy a shower from time to time.

[parrot]

and so it continues.. The EIA was supposedly finished last year with a projected "start" date for the mine of December 2014. I've driven through the area recently, there's nothing going on.. Is it waiting for the dual-track standard gauge railway so Potash can be exported easily to China?? http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 64311.html

I shudder to think what the highways would be like if the mine opened before the railroad was able to handle the mined material. That said, I'm surprised that after all these years with a jackpot under the ground of Udon, the mine has yet to open. I hope it stays that way.

[FrazeeDK]

but, I'm pretty sure if the powers that be decide to open it, they'll brook no protests out in that area.. When the oil company started their drilling down in KK Province a few months ago, the initial protests they met were broken up by Army and Police elements...

[FrazeeDK]

and so it continues.. I drive out by the projected Potash mine area regularly and see absolutely nothing going on.. The company has a small office in Nong TaKai village near where the mine is proposed but beyond that.. nothing.. I wonder what rumblings the villagers protesting the mine hear that get them to bring a protest document to the Provincial government?? http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 73274.html

[parrot]

and so it continues.. I drive out by the projected Potash mine area regularly and see absolutely nothing going on.. The company has a small office in Nong TaKai village near where the mine is proposed but beyond that.. nothing.. I wonder what rumblings the villagers protesting the mine hear that get them to bring a protest document to the Provincial government?? http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 73274.html

It's possible the villagers think the ?government? might try to fast-track the process.....as they did with the Rajabhakti Park project or are trying to do with the Chao Phraya River promenade project. Once that first hole is dug, it's 'game over' for the villagers who oppose the project.

It could have something to do with the APPC advertising for a human resources manager position in Udon or a Legal Administration Officer in Udon.........or what seems to me to be an upswing in the amount of community giving that the APPC has been involved in in the past 6 months or so.
https://www.facebook.com/%E0%B9%82%E0%B ... 702959536/

In the 19 years I've been here, the time is probably more ripe than ever for the mine to become a reality.

[FrazeeDK]

looking up the string to a posting I made back in 2014, all the hoops licenses and EIA's were supposedly done back in late 2014.. Now the Deputy Governor says he's going to set up a committee to look into it?? Ah, the old "Committee ruse..."

[FrazeeDK]

Drove through Nong Takai village today and noticed about 35 flat beds in the railyard there, parked, carrying 20 foot containers.. A heavy duty crane was offloading them to the ground beside the tracks.. Also noted a number of flatbed trucks carrying containers (all the same company) heading across the secondary road between 22 and 2 heading towards Nong Takai. It could be the mining company is setting up a laydown yard to start the mine project or... SRT has decided to have a freight terminal yard transfer location in Nong Takai..

[parrot]

The APPC has a facebook page at
https://www.facebook.com/%E0%B9%82%E0%B ... 702959536/
carries some news on scholarships for students, hiring, and the link at
http://www.appc.co.th/th/project_Implementation.html shows what the inside of the mine might look like.

[Barney]

Like any mine or oil and gas facility you need to have at least 2 things before anyone will commit money and finance to construct a project which would include an infrastructure cost.
A good price to sell, in this case USD/ton for Potash and of course long term sales.
Mine life's would perhaps need to be 25 years or more to make it viable.
Perhaps both of these are in the negative, there may also be a glut in the market.
Haven't done any research, just saying.

[parrot]

A large group of villagers from the vicinity of the proposed potash mine met with city officials descended on 12 Feb to express their concerns about the mine and impact on the environment.
https://www.facebook.com/udon.today.news/

[FrazeeDK]

commodity reports show Potash at around $300 per ton in January 2016.. The Udon South and North sylvinite reserves are high quality running around 24% potassium.. The numerous assays starting in the early 90's by Canadian companies indicated at least 25 years reserves. The initial assays stated that if exploited, Thailand could stop importing potassium based fertilizers within a year.. The question constantly asked about the Udon South potash sites revolve around environmental concerns on the water usage required to separate potassium from sylvinite, and disposal of mine detritus (high percentage of salt). Both concerns could destroy any agriculture for huge area since the location is on the watershed between waters flowing to the Mekong and waters flowing down through Khumpawapi lake and southeastward to Ubon and the Mekong near there. To refresh memories, this would not be an open pit style mine but a deep shaft mine setup since the sylvinite veins are about 300-500 meters deep and about 2-3 meters thick.. A "pillar and hall" type of mining would be used with the mining company claiming they would eventually place the mine detritus back into the mine, simplifying disposal.. In the interim there would be huge mountains of this salt laden residue near the mine that could result in soil pollution as well as massive dust issues.

[parrot]

There's a big meeting on the status of the potash mine on 23 April in Non Sung. Police and military look to be on standby for the opposition. The article says the meeting is the final in the process of public hearings.
http://www.matichon.co.th/news/112984

[parrot]

About 2000 people showed up for the potash meeting.....met by about 1500 police and another several hundred military and village security guards.....metal detectors, long queues to register to enter.....security checks here and there.....and partitioned seating well away from the government officials conducting the show.
I believe this was the last in public forums to hear the pros/cons of the potash mine.........a long fight for those opposing it. Where things go from here?? t.i.t.
https://www.thairath.co.th/content/610139
more photos of the meeting at
https://www.facebook.com/udon.today.new ... 9933803486

[FrazeeDK]

from the Nation http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 84543.html The comments from a government spokesman saying the project still needs various approvals to include the Cabinet is belied by a variety of stories earlier in the string stating the project was all approved back in December 2014...

[the-monk]

Looks like it's all FINE in the GOLD mining sector .... Maybe a preview to what is coming for the POTASH mining..

<<PHETCHABURI, 25 April 2016 (NNT) – Three cabinet ministers have traveled to three provinces in the upper central part of Thailand to jointly inspect gold mines and gather input from the locals about the mining operations.

Industry Minister Dr. Atchaka Sibunruang, Science and Technology Minister Dr. Pichet Durongkaveroj, and Public Health Minister Dr Piyasakol Sakolsatayadorn paid inspection visits to gold mines in Phetchaburi, Phichit, and Phitsanulok in order to assess the impact that mining operations have on local people. These gold mines are owned by Akara Resources Public Company Limited.

After the inspection, the three ministers met with the locals and asked for their opinions to be used in the decision-making on whether the company’s license should be extended.

Around 2,000 people including employees of Akara Resources Company were seen holding up signs and banners supporting the company. They claimed that they had been treated well and that their living standards had been significantly improved since the start of the operations.

The findings and results of their inspection will be forwarded to Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.
>>
Source : THAIVISA
http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/912 ... paign=news

[Brian Davis]

More from the Nation newspaper.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/nationa ... 94221.html