Potash mining in Udon - what is the latest ?

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FrazeeDK
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Re: Potash mining in Udon - what is the latest ?

Post by FrazeeDK » October 26, 2022, 8:30 pm

well of course rice won't grow at all if the ground water gets contaminated with high levels of salt. One issue is that the Nong Takai area where the minehead is planned is essentially on a watershed point. All waters south of the watershed go to the Red Lotus Sea and on to the river heading south then southeast to Kalasin Province and the Lam Pao Dam. The waters flowing north from the minehead go to the Mekong.. So, if there is a major cokcup with the handling and storage of the mining detritus they'll have calamitous isssues.

I can't see a mine that is 300-500 meters deep causing subssidence. The only thing that might cause that would be overuse of ground water that depletes it enough to cause susidence. If you look on Google Maps you'll see a small lake that was dug/expanded on the original Nong Takai. In nearly 20 years of driving by the area I've never seen it full. Just spitballing but I'd say the mining company that had the concession didn't bother to block the outlets. Now that the mine is approved, perhaps they'll excavate the lake deeper this dry season to provide the amount of water they need. Of course that would mean corssing their fingers and hoping next rainy season is early nad heavy..
https://www.google.co.th/maps/@17.29269 ... !1e3?hl=th

The initial assays and talk about building the mine back in the late 90's had a pretty strong social response from a gorup known as the "Iron Ladies". Abbots from a number of temples in the potentially affected zone also protested. But, that was 25 years ago and I've seen no signs or protesters at the Asia Pacific Potahs office in Nong Takai when driving by. The fears of those folks back then were based on a completely screwed up potash operation in Chaiyaphum that left an absolute moonscape of the terrain there. Anybody seen protests on social media about the mine? Kinda late to do anything about it now since it is approved and licensed by the government..


Dave

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rick
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Re: Potash mining in Udon - what is the latest ?

Post by rick » October 26, 2022, 9:20 pm

Asean Now had a thread on the protesters last week.

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FrazeeDK
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Re: Potash mining in Udon - what is the latest ?

Post by FrazeeDK » October 27, 2022, 8:44 am

Thai PBS has the whole sotry.. Doesn't seem like the "Iron Ladies" are still organized much. The article does cover that APPC wll spend 3 years in preparing the mine beforing going into production. https://www.thaipbsworld.com/over-my-de ... mine-plan/
Dave

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parrot
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Re: Potash mining in Udon - what is the latest ?

Post by parrot » October 28, 2022, 2:52 pm

Don't know how much longer the green shirts can hold out......but for now, the back of their shirts reads, "I won't give up."
https://udontoday.co/281065-2/?fbclid=I ... kK0ykj_Gx0

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FrazeeDK
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Re: Potash mining in Udon - what is the latest ?

Post by FrazeeDK » October 28, 2022, 5:33 pm

given the cost of imported potassium based fertilizer to the country moving forward with this project makes sense. What they need is a true ombudsman to oversee all environmental aspects of the mine and ore processing to ensure the strictest standards are observed.
Dave

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