OSLO: When the government this spring approved a project to mine a pricey pigment from a nearby hill, saying it would create jobs and help diversify the economy, Ingvar Osland immediately saw a darker flip side.
After sifting out the valuable whitener, known as rutile, the mine operator would discard millions of tons of waste into a pristine fiord. Scientists at the government-funded Institute of Marine Research warned of “pollution on a massive scale.”
Fish farmers such as Mr. Osland fear the environmental harm could tarnish the reputation of Norwegian salmon.
“We’ll have to move,” he says. “If the fiord is known for waste and chemicals, we risk losing customers, even if we can document that the quality is good.”
Nordic Mining ASA, which is behind the $300 million project, says any environmental impact would be temporary. The government noted that the Norwegian Environment Agency backed the plan, adding that constant monitoring of marine life would help prevent any damage.
“I am very confident that the decision we have made, with very tough requirements, is based on a correct assessment,” Minister of Trade and Industry Monica Maeland said in an interview.
The battle over the rutile pit in Vevring highlights how Norway—despite sitting on the world’s biggest wealth fund, with nearly $900 billion in assets—is straining to refashion an economy heavily reliant on oil-and-gas exports.
