Udon Potash mining status

This topic was touched on in the forum several years ago. It's quite an interesting topic as one way or another if the project comes to fruition it WILL affect those folks living in Udon Thani Province. I've seen nothing of import on this topic in the Thai news for a long time.. Some of you might live in the affected areas and be able to shed light on what's really going on right now.

This is the most recent I've found (2009) that implies Italian-Thai is moving forward with the mine
http://engagetheworld.wik.is/Issue_Resources/Development_Projects/Mining/Profiles/Thailand,_Udon_Thani_-_ITD_Potash_Mine

A 2008 article talks about the anti-mining villagers south of Udon
http://towardfreedom.com/home/asia/1463-thai-opposition-to-potash-mine-becomes-community-wide-fight

The only 2009 BKK Post article I can find appears to be from the learning English section http://www.readbangkokpost.com/business/agriculture/thailands_fertiliser_industry.php

A link back to an earlier actual news article is here http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/economics/23417/more-public-participation-urged-to-solve-potash-woes

The fact that Udon has two huge Potash deposits that are surveyed as having literally millions of tons of recoverable Potassium used in fertilizer comes and goes in the media.

This is the most detailed article on the deposits I've found http://www.geog.pn.psu.ac.th/association/geology/journal/Geology%20of%20the%20Udon%20Thani%20Potash%20Deposits%20With%20Overview_for.pdf

It's quite academic but lays out the surveyed resources and expectations of recoverable Potash reserves. Khon Khean University has a decent powerpoint on the Potash
[url]home.kku.ac.th/laa/Potash003_2Udon%20Thani.ppt[/url]

This project has been up in the air for years now, caught up in accusations of phony Environmental Impact Assessments.

A nephew of mine, an abbot of a temple in the potentially mined area was an anti-mining activist over seven years ago due to the possibility of massive salt contamination that could occur as a by-product of mining. Even he doesn't know what's going on with the project now and his Wat is about 6 km from the Udon South area that is owned, fenced and guarded by the company that owns the project now.

On a worst case basis, if handled in typical Asian exploitative fashion, this project could totally destroy the agricultural ability of Udon province. Potash mining produces salt, both in liquid form and in dust. This could cause salt pollution of both the watershed feeding northward into the Mekong and the watershed feeding south past Nong han Khumpawapi. Since it's all deep mining (300-500 meters) it could also cause subsidence in all areas the mines are under.
If it were handled exceptionally well, it could mean a huge employment boost in the province and make Thailand quickly independent in Potassium fertilizer, which is a key cost to farmers in Thailand today. Some of the articles I've linked appear to delve into the environmental aspects in a very pro-mine way...

Looking at how most exploitative projects in Thailand are handled, i.e. with any dissent quashed and protesters arrested, I really wonder what's truly going on here. The financial incentive to get this project producing Potash is absolutely huge...
The south Udon Potash deposit is located east of Non Soong wihich is about 15 km south of Udon on RTE 2.
The prospective North Udon deposit appears to be paralell the railway line from Udon center to south about 10km and go east quite a ways..

Just to add a very important consumed resource of the mine.. Ground water.. I wonder what this huge consumption would do to the ability of the city/provincial water company to provide adequate water to all....??

From the 2003 KKU Powerpoint.

- Water Source- Groundwater (primary)
- Demand - 1,000,000 cu.m./year
- Period of use- During the construction phase of the project.

In england, i lived near a huge potash mine, biggest in Europe. It pumps water down many miles into ground , dissolves the potash . There is no problem with local agro land.. Maybe different here ?

and the international interest in Potash is documented in a recent bid for a Candian Potash company of 38.6 BILLION USD... http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-11680181 It all still begs the question as to what is going on with the Udon South deposit???????????? The reserves are a potential gigantic (pardon the pun) "Gold Mine" of fertilizer base.. I can't believe the Thai business oligarchs aren't exploting this valuable resource...

Bob, you've probably got ESP!!! Brilliant deduction. A Chinese built and owned broad guage railway from Kunming to Vientiane and across on a "new bridge" at Nong Khai.. Yes for sure, a large freight spur at Nong TaKai behind Nonsoong. Add to the known Udon Potash reserves a huge stash of Bauxite (for aluminum) in the Bolovens Plateau in Laos that equals Austalia's known reserves (15% of the world's reserves)http://www.ord.com.au/ASX%20Announcements/Announcement%20-%20Laos%20Bolaven%20Plateau%20Bauxite%20Project.pdf, and it's hoo-hah get the natural resources for China!! Do ya think the Chinese will also build a railway into Afghanistan (they have a short border with them) now that the Afghans have huge surveyed mineral resoureshttp://www.wealthdaily.com/articles/afghanistan-mineral-discovery-a-1-trillion-find/2553... Better to get resources from a short distance vice Africa or South America although the Chinese have ramped up mineral investment in those continents too.. And, they've got the billions upon billions in foreign exchange reserves to dump into forward thinking exploitative projects like this.. We might see a Chinese financed high speed rail from Kunming to Bangkok via Nong Khai/Udon/Khon Khean/SaraBuri within 6-10 years!! and of course the spur along the Mekong down to the Bolovens for the Bauxite (or more probably finished Aluminum since Aluminum production requires vast amounts of electricity and what's Lao got?? Hydro and lots of potential for more).

Don't do me out of a Job just yet Frazee, Alumina is what pays my bills and China is our biggest Customer

BobHelm wrote:
From what I think you have said about it in the past a conventional mine with exports having to be shipped via sea would cause some severe strains on the local infrastructure & would be pretty unwelcome by everyone except the owners???

I suspect it might be welcomed by the people who find jobs in the mining, transportation and support.

Maybe so, Bob. But having been in the mining and nuclear industries for may years in the US I have seen this same scenario repeated any times. A project is proposed and the environmentalists and no-growth advocates marshal their considerable resources to whip up public sentiment with scare stories to oppose the project. Eventually the project is killed since it no longer makes economic sense with t he restrictions and multiple frivolous lawsuits. Then the people sit back and wonder why the unemployment rate is so high. Of course the environmentalists move on to the next "opportunity", since most of them are rich and don't have to worry about making a living. A biased view of course, but I've seen it happen too many times and suspect the same thing is in play here.

FrazeeDK: This is the most recent I've found (2009) that implies Italian-Thai is moving forward with the mine
http://engagetheworld.wik.is/Issue_Reso ... otash_Mine

Quote:

"Located only 350 meters beneath the Earth’s surface, the 300 million tons of potash are extremely accessible for mining and one of the largest deposits in the world. The mine would be in operation for 25-30 years and produce 2.0 million tons each year." (30 years times 2 million tons per year equals 60 million tons,,,what about the other 240 million tons?,,,,LoongLee)

"The Mineral Act of 1967 stated that property ownership extended to 350 meters below ground. Therefore, the shallowness and accessibility of the potash found in Udon presented a legal challenge for developers. After years of lobbying and debate from the APPC, the House of Representatives passed amendments in 2002 to allow companies to mine at a depth of 100 meters without notifying or obtaining permission from landowners.",, (This just about says it all as far as the future for the local citizens and their rights,,,,LoongLee.)

My money says this will not be managed in an ecologicaly correct way to protect the environment and the locals. LL

guess we'll have to wait for the broad gauge Chinese railway to make it down to Udon before the mines get going. First they'll develop Udon south down east of the railway near Non Soong, then they'll move up to Udon North deposit which is east of the railway line and extending out past the ring road.. If all is done in a normal fashion, 10-15 years from now, Udon will be a salt-encrusted moonscape!! On the other hand, if some type of realistic "sustained" development is done, Udon's Potash deposits will supply the fertilizer needs of SE Asia for over 20 years, thousands will get direct/indirect employment in the area, and there will be a broad gauge high speed railway BKK to Kunming via Udon..

FrazeeDK,,,,"guess we'll have to wait for the broad gauge Chinese railway to make it down to Udon",,,,,,,,,

Actually Frazee,,,,, I think you'll find the Chinese use a standard gauge (4 feet 8.5inch),, the same as the UK and North America. I believe the standard gauge is about 60 % of the rail worldwide.